Dance of the Bison Lord: An Azula Story
by proudinfidel
Summary: Kuei falls in love with a beautiful masked guest at his Birthday Ball. Little does he know its Azula! Continuation of "It Likes Azula?" Also features Zuko and Ursa. Cinderella...if she were a recovering sociopath. Takes place about 2 years after The Search concludes. Continues after the ball with their courtship and Azula's challenges with the Bison.
1. Chapter 1

**Azula and her Bison are at the Earth King's Masked Ball, and Kuei gets more than he bargained for from a mysterious pretty face. Also present, Zuko and Ursa.**

**If you haven't read my fanfic "It Likes Azula?" You might want to do that first before you enjoy this one, otherwise this story won't make much sense.**

**In this story Azula is about as redeemed as I think she's gonna get, but she's still Azula. This takes place about two years after The Search ends. **

**Its kind of like Cinderella meets Avatar...if Cinderella were a recovering sociopath.**

**Disclaimer: I think its pretty clear that I don't own Avatar. Read on to confirm this. **

**Double Disclaimer: Please do not give your pets alcohol. This is written into the story for pure laughs. **

"I'm sorry miss, you can't bring that bison in here," the Earth King's doorman stated.

Azula cocked her head. Her first instinct was to send a bolt of lightning up his ass, but she refrained. "Perhaps you don't understand," she began with a mock saccharine tone, "Dominatia is my therapy animal. I suffer from a very serious disorder..."

"Its not that," the doorman gulped. "Its just...well she's huge, Miss. I doubt she'll fit through the archway!"

Dominatia too looked like she was refraining. The corner of her pink lip was curling up into a low growl, and the gray tufts about her ears stood on end.

Azula put up a hand in warning, and the beast relented. Dominatia was Azula's personnal bison. She'd found the female during their quest to trekk down mother, and she hadn't left the Princess' side ever since. Dominatia was also the Alpha female of her heard and because of this, Azula had ended up with not only one, but several female bison at her beck and call.

They didn't mind that the deranged adolescent considered them her personal army, and in fact seemed to revel in the snarky, off color tasks Azula fashioned for them.

These included everything from stealing Zuko's underwear and displaying it on the royal ramparts during dignitary visits to raiding his personal sake; a drunk bison was a thing to behold indeed. Their mischevious temperament had come as a surprise to Aang, who knew the most about sky bison. These seemed to take on Azula's personality, minus the complete evil. They were also the only entity successful in getting Azula to comply with her medical regimen.

Under Dominatia's watchful eye, Azula took her drugs with clock like consistency and actually listened to her therapists without shooting bolts of lightning at them. Azula's hallucinations also disappeared completely. The doctors had never thought this would happen.

Aang had suggested exiling her to the Western Air Temple for a year or two, as she didn't need an asylum anymore, but putting her straight back into royal society wasn't ideal either. She needed interim placement and the Western Air Temple was ideal. The temple was close enough that Zuko and others could get to her, but it provided a nice peaceful environment in which she could heal and her bison could flourish.

Aang declared her Bison Lord. The title and duties associated with it enlisted her help in rebuilding the population, fed Azula's thirst for grandeur, and kept her homicidal tendencies in check.

"Fine," Azula grunted at the doorman, and she flashed Dominatia a discreet hand signal.

The female bison lunged at the man and seized him by scruff of his neck, suspending him above the earth. His eyes were wide with shock as he looked at Azula.

"You'll just have to show me a proper place for her then. And don't even tell me animals aren't allowed! I know about the Earth King's bear."

The man nodded nervously, tugging at his collar. He pointed ahead and Dominatia marched to his directions with the doorman still suspended by the scruff of his neck.

They ended up at a large courtyard where makeshift stables and troughs of water had been set up for the guests' animals. "Well this is quaint," Azula quipped approvingly.

Dominatia mewled with the doorman still in her mouth.

"Absolutely not, Dominatia," Azula firmly reprimanded. "You have enough chew toys!"

Visibly disappointed, Dominatia opened her maw, dropping the man to the earth. She settled under a high awning complete with a straw pallet, sulking just a little.

"You may go peasant," Azula commanded, and the man scrambled away from her before breaking into a full out run.

Azula watched the doorman disappear into the darkness. She wasn't sure if she should be pleased or disappointed that she still had that effect on people. According to her doctors and Zuzu, it was not a good thing, precisely why Zuko had insisted she attend this party.

"Bison are great Azula, and they've done wonders for you, but it's time for you to start interacting with people other than just mom and your doctors and I. Attending the Earth King's Birthday Ball is a perfect way for you to do this," Zuko had insisted.

Ursa agreed. "Really honey, you haven't tried to kill anyone in over two years!" she'd chimed in enthusiastically "That's real progress! I think you're ready!"

Azula stuck out her tongue at the memory, and Dominatia bellowed good naturedly beside her, reading her thoughts.

"Why did I agree to this nonesense, Dominatia? I should have stayed at the temple where I am the Bison Lord."

Dominatia grunted and drew herself up on her legs. Her gigantic head nudged her mistress towards the bright windows winking at them from beneath the archways supporting the palace. The ballroom guests were passing like green and gold shadows in the bright lights of a party in full swing. Several of the costumes were quite unique, ranging from boar-cu-pines to ornate Kyoshi Warriors to peacocks.

Azula had added a glittering green half cat mask that covered her eyes and nose and a sequin tail to her shimmering emerald cheongsam. She doubted anyone would see her costume, despite her stunning appearance. She wasn't sure she wanted anyone to.

She was distrustful of people ever since her betrayal by Mai and Ty Lee. She barely opened up around her mother and brother.

"Oh I'm NOT going in there alone!" Azula declared.

Dominatia warbled her version of "Why?"

"Well for one thing its boring. There's nothing to conquer, and no one who I'm interested in tormenting. The last time I was here I successfully led a coup. After that everything just seems so...lame."

Dominatia rolled her eyes, not convinced.

"Well it is lame!" Azula stammered, crossing her arms defiantly.

Dominatia rolled over on her back, presenting Azula with her fluffy belly.

Azula raised an eyebrow. "So it's go inside or rub your belly?"

Dominatia growled a "yes."

"Fine," Azula sighed, running her hand up and down her pet's underside, "but don't tell the others. Understood? I'll never live it down if you do."

"Oh my goodness!"

Azula stood and whirled, her hands clenching reflexively. She almost took up a bending stance, but it didn't take her long to realize that the man before her was no threat.

He was long and lean, his hands clasped together in joy, his mouth partway open below his bear mask. His long green robes swayed a little in the night air. Despite his mask Azula knew his identity immediately, having held him captive for several hours during the coup of Ba Sing Se. _Speaking of chew toys._

"Can I help you?" Azula asked.

"Oh I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, Miss. It's just," he sidestepped her a little, his gaze fixed on her fluffy companion, "my doorman said something about another sky bison. I had to see if it was true. And it is! Dare I ask if it's a female?"

"Her name is Dominatia," Azula confirmed.

"The Avatar must be thrilled! May I pet her?"

"You may."

The Earth King descended on the bison and gave her an enthusiastic belly rub. Dominatia was more trusting of people than her mistress and groaned at the affection, her tongue lolling with pleasure. "She is so beautiful. I'd heard stories. I hoped they were true!"

"I have several female bison in my charge," Azula stated, a little proudly, "I am breeding them with the Avatar's bison and what few precious males I've found to ensure the survival of the species."

"Such a noble cause," the Earth King sighed. "Animals are wonderful, aren't they? I have a bear myself. His name is Bosco." The man straightened up in sudden realization. "Where are my manners? I am Earth King Kuei." He bowed slightly and waited for her to fawn, to swoon, to rush beside him all giggles like the other women had.

Instead, this woman in the cat costume bowed ever so slightly, then straightened her shoulders and stared at him. Her golden eyes remained narrow and glittering through the slits in her mask. "I am the Bison Lord," she told him in a voice that was as serious as it was suave.

Stunned by her odd behavior, the Earth King dissolved into fits of laughter. "Does the Bison Lord have a name?"

"None that matters, Your Majesty."

The Earth King laughed again. "Well then, Bison Lord, you don't mind if I stay out here with you, do you?" He let out a long breath. "You see, things are getting rather tiring in there."

"Oh?"

"There have been so many of these balls thrown for me lately. Now that things have settled down and the war is over," he hung his head, "everyone expects me to get married."

"Isn't it terrible when people expect things of you that aren't in line with your desires?"

Kuei stopped petting the bison and looked up at the strange woman. Her arms were crossed protectively over her chest, and she seemed a bit cold and distant, but she had just read him with pinpoint accuracy. "Yes," he whispered, "it is terrible."

"Especially when none of the women you've met suit you," the ambigious Bison Lord continued. "Many balls thrown for you. You must have met hundreds."

The King let out an exhasperated sigh. "More."

Azula placed her finger on her chin thoughtfully. Her doctors did say she should try caring about other people. "Hmm. Well you know I consider myself a people person. Not necessarily that I like them, it's just that I can read them very well. Perhaps you've misread some of the ladies brought before you. I could help you out with that."

Kuei brightened at the idea. He didn't know this woman from anyone. She wouldn't even tell him her name, but she did love animals, which was more than he could say for most of his advisors. What did he really have to loose? "All right then Bison Lord," he laughed. "You've stirred my curiosity." He stood and presented his arm.

Azula stared at it for a second before cautiously accepting it. She threw a glance over at Dominatia, who was smiling a huge bison smile at her. "I'll be back. When the others get here, please see to it that they are comfortable," referring to her family and the two other bison who were on their way.

# # # # #

They stepped through one of the archways into the glittering world of opulance that was the Earth Kingdom Palace Ballroom. It was gigantic, much larger than the Fire Nation Palace's Ballroom and adorned with gold and mother of pearl frescoes. The giant paintings reflected the shimmering lights from crystal and gold chandeliers. Azula wasn't usually impressed with much of anything, but she couldn't help but appreciate this. It was a style apart from the dark cherry wood and rubies used in the throne and ballrooms of the Fire Nation, which was a style meant to evoke passion, power, and mimic a smoldering fire.

The Earth King's style, on the other hand, emulated a beautiful spring day through its use of emeralds and gold and illumination. Everything in the room from the shimmering marble flooring to the jeweled ceiling caught and magnified light.

"I'll show you the first group of women," Kuei disrupted her thoughts, "And after I speak to them I would appreciate your opinion."

"I am at Your Majesty's service," Azula purred and let go of Kuei's arm when they were still a good distance away.

No more had Kuei come into view than two of the women came running up. One looked positively annoyed when she failed to be the first to embrace him. "Your Majesty, where did you run off to?"

"Yes, we were so lost without you," the second let gravity assist her toward the King.

What followed was a ridiculous amount of giggling and shameless hanging and fangirling. Azula dutifully stayed off to the side, suppressing her nausea and studying it all with calculating eyes.

When at last the Earth King excused himself and returned to the Bison Lord for her analysis, she had plenty to say. "I know their type well Your Majesty. They all just want to be Earth Queen. They might be nobility in blood, but in their hearts they're gold-digging peasants; they would bang a badgermole if it would get them the same result."

"That's about 50% of them unfortunately," Kuei sighed.

"Well then let's concentrate on the other 50%," Azula stated, and as she put her arm around the King, one of her fingers let loose a tiny stream of lightning, catching one of the gold-digger's robes on fire. "Women like that will have you murdered in your sleep the minute you diplease them."

Kuei made a face as he was led away. He was completely unaware that the noble women he was wooing a second ago were scrambling to put out their flaming gowns.

"Show me the rest immediately," Azula demanded.

And so he did. The next was a petite Earth Kingdom noble Mai Ling to which Azula said: "That one would be loyal, but she's a pathetic drone with no spunk, passion, or mind of her own. She's bred to absorb the desires and personality of her husband. She would be a total bore in all aspects of life."

The noble lady Amora of the Nothern Water Tribe was equally displeasing to the Bison Lord. "That one is too passionate about everything," Azula rolled her eyes, "She has to be the center of attention which means if you don't constantly fawn after her and pump up her ego, she'll take it as an insult."

The Fire Nation noble Yonoko was a "bimbo," according to Azula.

Kuei slumped at this analysis.

"Now hold on," Azula countered, taking his hand and leading him out onto the dance floor. The band had just began a traditional waltz, and guests were already starting to sway. "Bimbos can be very useful; they're loyal to a fault and easy to please." Azula guided his hand onto her waist and stared gently into his eyes as she began to move. Much to his surprise, she was leading him in the dance; more to Kuei's surpise he liked it!

"The problem with bimbos," Azula continued, never missing a step, "is that they're disgustingly giddy and too trusting. But as long as you monitor who she associates with and tolerate her incessant optimism, it would work out fine." Azula shuddered, remembering Ty Lee, "Could you put up with something like that?"

Kuei sighed, his imposing figure melting a little as he moved with her. "This is impossible."

"It's not impossible if marriage is what you really want," Azula disagreed. She let go of his hands to whirl before him, and as she did so Kuei was reminded, irresistably, of firelight on green silk. When she came back into his arms it seemed that her eyes were a little brighter, her skin a little softer, though he didn't know how this was possible. "It's like my therapist says: 'there's no perfect person.' Therefore you should marry by picking the person with flaws you can tolerate. Personally I would go for the 'bimbo' or the 'bore.'" Azula cocked her head, studying the disappointed look on Kuei's face as they moved together. At last she concluded: "But marriage isn't what you want, is it?"

Kuei smiled at her through his mask. "I feel like I'm still learning how to be a good King. I don't have time to learn how to be a good husband too."

"Perfectly reasonable. You just want these women to leave you alone." Azula threw her right arm about the King's neck, and her left leg slid out from beneath her, forcing the King to dip her. "So let's make that happen."

"How?" Kuei lamented. "You've seen how they are around me. I could try a different costume, but I'm so tall I stand out from everyone else."

The violins' sweet waltz halted and Azula righted herself. She bowed before him and then rubbed her hands together sadistically. "I have an idea. Does your ballroom have a larger entrance?"

An hour later, when Bosco, Dominatia, and two more of Azula's bison were chasing Kuei's silly fangirls out of the ballroom, Kuei and Azula were laughing at the edge of the balcony, watching pandemonium unfold. Those who had the most intent designs on becoming Earth Queen, the "gold diggers," as Azula had called them, scrambled embaressingly away. To the rest of Keui's guests, however, the bison remained amiable. Those people, interestingly enough, were most trusted by the King. Bison instincts were certainly keen like Bosco's, even more so the King believed. The sky bison did wonders to liven up the party and polish off the food and punch in addition to chasing off undesireables.

"Oh, look at that one run," Azula snickered, commenting on the behavior of one of the gold-diggers. "There's just the faintest hesitation of her right leg when she scurries. Now where did a noble woman get an injury like that?"

"I'll bet she got it from chasing bankers!" Kuei exclaimed.

"Good one!" Azula congratulated, smiling.

Kuei thought she had a beautiful smile, and he regretted the loss of it when she turned her attention back on the scene below. "Dominatia! Go easy on punch! Remember what happened the last time you got drunk?!"

Kuei, on the other hand, found he couldn't stop staring at this strange little cat woman who called herself the Bison Lord. She carried herself like a queen and spoke like a true intellectual, though she swore she was just a bison breeder. It didn't add up, and yet _she_ was quickly adding up to be the most fascinating individual the King had ever met.

His mind kept drifting back to the dance they'd shared and how perfect she'd felt in his arms. He almost wished the insanity below would die down and the violins would play again so he'd have an excuse to hold her. Would she let him hold her without an excuse? He was determined to try.

When at last the party started to disperse and Dominatia and Bosco had wandered outside to rest on the hay, the King led his companion to the recess of the balcony. A green velvet couch was set against the wall and shrouded by gold gossamer curtains.

Azula had sensed a change in his demeanor, but wasn't sure what it was or if it really mattered. While she was a fair judge of compatibility between personality types, she was a moron when it came to pure flirtation or matters of the heart.

Kuei motioned for her to sit beside him, and Azula did so obediently. Kuei took her hands in his; Azula noted that they were trembling. "I just want you to know," he started with all sincerity, "that I've had more fun in this one night than I have my entire life. Meeting you has been one of the best things to ever happen to me."

Azula inclined her head slightly. "I am happy to have been at Your Majesty's service. Just remember, be firm in your convictions, and your subjects won't question your choice in delaying marriage." The Princess made a move to stand, but the King held her hands firmly.

"Wait," he said, a little pleadingly.

Azula raised her eyebrow and settled back onto the couch.

"I wanted to ask you if you would please take off your mask."

Azula laughed. "I don't think Your Majesty really wants that."

Determined, Kuei removed his mask, then smiled and scooted closer to her on the couch.

He looked a little different than Azula remembered him: less gaunt and more striking. He had a slight beard shadow, and his green eyes seemed a little darker, deeper. He was actually handsome; Azula swallowed.

Azula would have scooted away, but the sitting room on the couch was quickly diminishing. There was nowhere to go without standing, and the King still firmly held her hands, so this was impossible. "Why," he crooned, tipping her chin with his finger, "were you injured in the war? Do you have a scar?"

"Of course not!"

Kuei ignored the malice in her voice. "Are you Fire Nation? Or Water Tribe perhaps?" he quested, runnng his hand along her jaw below the mask. "I don't mind."

At last Aula lost it. He'd let go of her hands, and that was enough opportunity. She stood, fuming before him. "What I _am_ is a shitzophrenic sociopath with anxiety and depression!" she growled. "In order to be stable I require heavy medications, intensive therapy, and a legion of sky bison! Despite the wonderful evening you've had with me I would make you very miserable indeed. I may be very fun, Your Majesty, but I am incapable of love!" Azula fumed. She procured a very irritated bow. "I bid you good night."

Undeterred Kuei caught hold of her wrists and pushed her against the wall.

Azula was furious. She could feel her breath of fire welling in her chest, threatening to burst from her wrists and fry the man detaining her...but for some reason it didn't. She just stood there, eyes simmering, lips twisted in a grimace.

He smirked back at her, looking at her with eyes that studied, accepted, _wanted_. For the life of her Azula couldn't figure out why. Her failure to analyze him was confusing but exhilirating, and it was the only thing that kept her from setting him on fire. "Why?!"

"It's like you told me," Kuei answered gently, his green eyes luminous. "There is no perfect person. You pick the one who's flaws you can live with. So what if you've got some emotional problems? My doctors are very good; I am sure they can help you."

"My personality is too overbearing," Azula squeaked, desperate to put him off, "and you're far too kind. I'd dominate the hell out of you!"

A lecherous smile spread across Kuei's face as he moved closer. "That actually sounds like fun."

Azula caught the sexual meaning in his words and felt heat rise in her cheeks. Her heart started to thunder. Half of her wanted to set him on fire and run out of there screaming. The other half wanted to be kissed. She was nearly 20 years old, and the only time she'd kissed a boy was during that horrid party on Ember Island. Chan hadn't even wanted her.

Kuei did. She'd admitted her faults and laid everything on the line for him. She'd told him who she was as completely as she could without giving him her name, and still he wanted her. Why?

Before she could figure this, or her next course of action out, however, Kuei's lips were on hers. Azula froze at the touch, but he didn't. He embraced her fully, completely, and it was nothing like she thought he would be. Despite her earlier opinion of him as a chew toy or a weakling, he certainly didn't kiss like one. He kissed with genuine interest, strength, and compassion. His arms moved the same way, then came to rest gently but firmly about her waist. She'd been kissed once, but she had never been _held_ by a man before. Not even by her own father.

Despite herself, a couple of tears slipped from her eyes and her fists began to loosen as the encounter continued. Slowly but surely, she began to thaw; she didn't lend her own passion to the kiss but opened her mouth and let it move in time with his. She let him posess her, dominate her, hold her. It was being held that was the most intoxicating.

When Kuei finally pulled away, the Princess looked at him through her tears, panting both in reaction to the kiss and with the effort of holding back her emotions.

Kuei smiled and cocked an eyebrow at her. "You don't kiss like someone who _can't_ love. You kiss like someone who's _afraid_ of loving."

That did it. Azula shoved him aside and ran away from the balcony, down the stairs, and into the courtyard to where Dominatia waited for her beside the stables. Just short of the beast she tripped and scrambled to her feet. She was in such a hurry to get to her mount that she didn't realize she'd lost a shoe in the process.

Dominatia took to the skies before Azula could utter the first "yip."

Kuei caught sight of them climbing into the moonlight just before his foot hit something foreign on the ground. He looked down.

There, glistening amidst the hay and moss, lay a green sequin heel.

# # # #

"We are so sorry we couldn't make your birthday ball," Ursa apologized to Kuei at breakfast the next morning. Zuko and Ursa had arrived many hours late due to a malfunctioning war balloon. Kuei had no more than greeted them and shown them to their rooms than they retired in the wee hours of the morning.

"It's the second time the damned thing has done that. I ought to have it scrapped," Zuko sighed as he sampled the eggs.

"Yes it's strange that Azula got in so late also," Ursa continued. "She wasn't riding in a war balloon. She took her b..."

"Please, Please, " Kuei interrupted good-naturedly. "There's no need for apologies. I am just happy you're here now. We'll have a nice day together in the wine country once Azula is awake. Perhaps later you all can help me find someone."

Zuko looked up from his plate. The King's countenance had taken on a dreamy expression, and he produced a shimmering sequin heel.

Ursa's mind raced, trying to decide if she'd seen that shoe before.

"You'll forgive me if I didn't notice your absence. You see, I fell madly in love last night! We laughed, we danced, we tormented society women. Zuko it was just..." A look of ecstacy washed over the King's face as he relived the night. "It was perfect. _She_ was perfect."

"So..you took her shoe?" Zuko questioned. He'd heard Earth Kingdom people were into kinky things, but this was just weird.

Kuei sighed. "No. I..." he hung his head. "I came on too strong and scared her off. She lost this while she was running away from me."

Zuko considered Kuei. Aang had told him about love at first sight, but he remained skeptical of the stuff. Regardless, he'd never seen Kuei this enthusiastic or happy, and that meant an easier time diplomatically for him. Far be it from him to discourage the jovial ruler.

"I'm going to find the woman this shoe belongs to Zuko," Kuei declared, "and I'm going to marry her!"

Just then Azula entered the kitchen to see the Earth King rubbing her green heel against the idiotic grin on his face.

"What are you doing with my shoe? Do you have some kind of fetish or something?" The second the words left her, Azula realized her mistake and clapped her hands over her mouth. But it was too late. The cat was out of the bag.

Kuei looked at her. The color drained from his face. "This is..._your_ shoe?"

For an answer Azula gently plucked the heel from Kuei and placed it on her foot; of course it fit perfectly. For a moment she stood there, feeling lopsided and conspicuous. She thought about spewing further vitreal at Kuei, but couldn't. She'd never seen a man make out with her shoe before. She'd never been held like he'd held her last night, and for the first time in her life, she couldn't stomach being mean.

She swallowed thickly. "Thank you for a wonderful evening," she told him, blinking back the tears that crept into her eyes. Her gaze darted nervously from Kuei, to mother, to Zuzu and then back. They were all as shocked as she was. Suddenly she turned around and fled the kitchen to weep her confusion into Dominatia's fluffy belly.

"Darling wait!" Ursa hollered, following after her.

Zuko looked at the shocked King. "I would say I'll kill you if you break her heart, Kuei, but I think I'm the least of your concerns right now."

**So what do you think kids? :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N so this is just an epilogue between Kuei and Azula in which they talk about what happened and come to terms with it. Read my note at the end for more info. **

"Darling! Darling, Please wait!"

Ursa called after her, but she wouldn't stop until she was at the stables and Ursa knew this for a fact. She was often envious of the bond she'd formed with that bison, though she couldn't thank Dominatia enough for healing her daughter, literally bringing her back from the point of self-destruction. Thanks to Dominatia and her herd, Ursa could sometimes see the faint traces of a human being emerging through the thick wall of psychosis and anger Azula had built around herself.

Now was one of those times. She watched with bittersweet feelings as Azula threw herself upon the bison and wept. Her therapy animal cuddled into her with genuine acceptance.

Ursa sat down beside the bison and absently petted Dominatia's nose while she waited for Azula to stop sobbing. Azula cried for a long time before she slowed down. Ursa used this opportunity. "Darling," she began gently, "would you like to talk about it?"

Azula looked up at her mother through her tear mangled hair. She sniffed. "I don't know what to tell you, mother. It's just…It's...weird! It doesn't make sense!"

"What doesn't make sense, Darling?"

Azula flipped positions and lay back against her bison, her chest heaving as she studied the roof of the stable. "It! Last night! Him! Mother, he kissed me!"

"Darling, that's not a bad thing..."

"But I'm crazy!" Azula insisted. "I told him I was crazy in succinct professional terms, using the exact words the physicians put in my charts, and he STILL kissed me!" Azula stood up and began to pace, almost frantically. She put her hands in front of her, tagging the points with her fingers: "I told him I was a sociopath with schizophrenia, I told him I was on drugs, I told him I was in therapy..." she stopped abruptly and threw her hands up in the air, shouting: "and he didn't run screaming for the hills!"

"Kuei is a very kind and eccentric man with very exotic tastes," Ursa chuckled "and Darling, you _are_ exotic."

Azula didn't seem to hear her mother. She stopped pacing, her hand on her forehead. A thought had occurred to her. "I'm hallucinating again," she stated.

"Oh Darling..."

"No, that's got to be it, mother!" Azula insisted, pointing wildly at Ursa. "Except now, instead of seeing you..I'm seeing gold diggers, and bears in clothing, and Kings with horrid taste in women!"

Ursa shook her head and tried to approach her daughter, but Azula backed away, her eyes wild with realization "I missed a dose, mother!" she stated. "I missed a dose, and now I'm seeing things."

"Azula, I don't think..."

"No, that's got to be it!"

Ursa sighed; there was no talking her down when Azula was like this. "When? Last night?"

Azula nodded. "My medication; it's upstairs in my guest bureau. Would you get it for me please?"

Ursa reached out, taking her daughter's head in her hands. She pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Of course. Stay with your bison and try not to incinerate anything while I'm gone." Ursa disappeared into the palace.

Princess Azula slumped back against Dominatia who licked her mistress' back.

"Ugg!" Azula groaned. "Dominatia, you know I hate tongue baths!"

"She just knows you're upset." said a soft and familiar voice.

Azula looked up to see Kuei before her. He looked as tall as ever but his shoulders were slumped. A worried look contorted his features. In his hands he carried a tray loaded with rice, eggs and fruit.

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to see if you were OK. I also thought you might be hungry." He approached her the same way he'd approached Bosco once after he was injured: slowly, very slowly with no intentions of touching her until he was sure he'd gained her trust. At last he set the tray down when he was still a few feet away from her and backed carefully away from it.

Azula's gaze darted from him to the tray and then back. He wasn't behaving like a hallucination, and she could actually smell the food. "Why so much food?"

"Well," he smiled at Dominatia, "I thought you might want to share it. Good morning, Dominatia."

The beast answered him with a bellow and a roll to her back. She wiggled her six legs in the air, beckoning him to scratch her.

"Maybe later, dear," he laughed as the bison grunted with disappointment.

"Your concern is unnecessary," Azula told him as she stood, straightening her hair. "Mother's gone for my medication; it works better when my stomach is empty." She turned away from him and leaned against the stable support. "I'll eat afterwards."

Kuei let out a breath. "I should have known it was you. Last night I was amazed by your boldness and intellect. There was only one other woman in the world really that could have matched the Bison Lord, and that is Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. You know in the Earth Kingdom her prowess is still as legendary as her cunning. She killed the Avatar, instituted a coup, and conquered Ba Sing Se. Who would have guessed that beneath all of that is a very frightened and distrustful young woman?"

Azula blinked against her tears. "I think it's pretty obvious I didn't kill him," she corrected. "I already apologized to you once for all of those things. It was a couple years back, after we found mother, remember?" she said over her shoulder.

"I do, and as you remember I forgave you."

"Good, so it's done between us. So what do you care?"

"I care about you."

Azula pinned her forehead against the stable post, fighting her sobs. She was too choked up to answer, and try as she might, she couldn't pinpoint why. It was like last night when he'd confronted her and she couldn't analyze him. Her inability to do so was so far outside her comfort zone and understanding of people that it was driving her to tears.

Kuei read her and had to bite back his own sobs. How very sad to believe like she did, that no one could ever love her. Nevertheless, if love was what she had trouble with, he'd try logic. "Azula, I am not a man known for my forcefulness. You said it yourself. I'm too kind; I'm a pushover. This leaves my kingdom vulnerable." He paused, taking a step toward her. "You're still thought of as a force to be reckoned with. With you as my bride, no one would mess with the city, let alone the rest of the kingdom!"

Azula's pride swelled; she couldn't help it any more than she could help the delighted smirk that spread across her lips. Still, she kept her back turned, hesitant to reveal her enthusiasm. "I thought you weren't ready for marriage; I thought that's what last night was about."

"You're right, I'm not, but maybe in a year or so. You're not ready right now either so…it works out." Kuei paused, choosing his next words carefully. "You would be Earth Queen," Kuei said softly, "and you would be your brother's equal; you do realize that?"

At that moment a light went on in Azula's brain, and the rest of her face couldn't help but surrender to the self-satisfied, maniacal grin that Kuei's words inspired. Azula turned to study him, her eyes sparkling with power lust and intrigue.

Her expression did not go unnoticed by Kuei, but he kept his words cautious and caring. "I asked your brother if I could court you."

Azula let out a snort. "And what did Zuzu say?"

"Well after a lecture about drafting a will, designating an heir, going with an armed guard, and insisting it was 'my funeral' he grudgingly agreed. "

Azula pursed her lips, but the force of her laughter burst them apart. "That's so very Zuzu!" she managed amidst a fit of giggles. "Well, I don't blame him," she said, wiping her tears of laughter with the back of her hand. "I almost killed him you know…but not just once!" She grinned wildly and held up her fingers to show her attempts at assassination.

"You don't say!" Kuei exclaimed. "I tried too, but just that one time, outside Yu Dao colony. He's so stubborn!"

Azula rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it! But you see it's because Zuzu's one of _those_ people; by that I mean he just _won't die_. So I've accepted the fact and moved on."

Kuei smiled warmly at her "You see we have so much in common."

Azula licked her lips, considering him. "You know," she shared, "I've just discovered another reason why I don't like peasants."

"Oh, what's that?" Kuei laughed.

"Because they're so very wrong about so very many things! One of them is you. A lot of the peasants say you are a coward, but you are an exceptionally brave man to want to court me. Perhaps the bravest I've ever met! You do realize I could vaporize you with a flick of my wrist?"

"I know that. I also know that you won't."

Azula's eyes smoldered. "What makes you so sure?"

Kuei smiled warmly at her. "You wouldn't understand me if I told you. That's one thing you'll just have to figure out for yourself."

**Well people I'm not sure how much further I want to take this wacky romance. But I did think that these two kids deserved an epilogue at least. If anyone's got any ideas, I'm open to suggestions. As of right now that's it for the Bison Lord. Peace out monkeyfeathers!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hooray for inspiration! The Bison Lord Returns. This takes place a few weeks after Kuei's ball. Azula is back at the Western Air Temple with her herd, resuming her duties. The King is still on her confused, but partially recovered mind. Kuei will appear in the next chapter.**

**There is some very mild sexual humor in this fic, but I tried to keep it true to the rating and make it fly over the kiddie's heads. If you think this needs to go up to T, pm me and I will consider your opinion.**

**Someone suggested Azula would make an excellent Tomb Raider. So, I'm going with that. Yeah. **

**And...Azula's Bison is an alcoholic. **

**Well I guess you'd better read on.**

_They were in the wine country after a long and awkward ride out into the vineyards where several families had perfected the art of winemaking. The plan was to visit several that day. Azula couldn't look at the King the entire way, though she felt his eyes on her. She remembered the small talk between him and Zuzu and mother, the quiet churn of the carriage wheels, and the country breeze. No one tried to engage her though Kuei kept stealing glances at her that were half worried, half studious._

_They arrived at the first winery and Kuei dismounted first. A coachman came to assist Zuzu and mother, but Kuei insisted on taking Azula's hand and helping her down himself. He looked her in the eyes and smiled. _

_Azula swallowed, but before she could return the gesture he was leading her out into the quaint vineyards that laced the distillery. He kept her arm in arm all the way to the house: ever caring, ever considerate, and for her, ever the more confusing._

_Inside, the merchant bowed and presented his creations for the wine tasting. He gulped audibly when Azula stepped to the front of the group after mother and Zuko had finished. _

"_This is a semi-sweet red. It goes wonderful with chocolate and roast pheasant," he told her with a quaking voice._

_The merchant, a small unassuming man had offered the glass to her with a trembling hand. Five years later, her reputation still preceded her. Princess Azula; the incarnation of evil and cunning combined, and the winemaker was trying his best not to spill his wares and pee himself. Doubtful he would accomplish both._

_Kuei saw his predicament and intercepted the glass before his fingers lost their grip on the stem. _

_She remembered his touch on her hands for two reasons. 1. No one ever touched her. Ever 2. The way he did it. It was new, it was scary. Scarier still, it wasn't unwelcome. She couldn't ignore it; even worse she wasn't sure she wanted to. _

_For the first time since their conversation on the balcony, Azula felt something. Something she couldn't explain even if she wanted to. It invigorated her. It terrified her._

_He closed her hands around the glass, and assisted it to her lips. Azula felt relief when the warm sting of the wine passed down her throat. She avoided too much more the rest of the day. Her doctor didn't want her taking in too much alcohol for fear it might throw off her medication, and Azula certainly didn't want to be off her meds again. Bad things happened when she came off of her meds. _

_The day passed with even more wine tasting. Kuei was careful not to drink too much, but Zuzu and mother were plastered inside of an hour. As was Dominatia; the poor beast became so wasted she couldn't fly and lumbered along behind the carriage, swerving a little at times. As much as she treasured her bison, Azula had to admit that she was an absolute lush._

_When they made it back to the palace at last, Zuzu and Mother retired in their staterooms, still a little tipsy from the wine._

_Kuei finally had a moment alone with his beautiful but distant Bison Lord._

_He knew she meant nothing by it. She was very unaccustomed to love. He only had to look at Firelord Zuko's face to know that her childhood had been anything but ideal, but he was a patient man, and he loved her. Despite everything, he couldn't help himself. He would make her see, or die trying. _

_There was so much he wanted to say to her. Instead he cleared his throat and asked:__"The Western Air Temple, right?"_

_Azula jerked a nod._

"_It might be a while before I come; I'm very busy right now. But I can't wait to see you again."_

_Azula's mouth opened partway, a snarky retort on her tongue, but before it could eek out of her__,__ the King had pulled her into his arms again. Azula buried her face in his robes, amazed at how good it felt and how she instinctively melted into him. He smoothed his hands over her hair and rested his chin on the top of her head while she stood there, completely submissive and fighting back tears that, in her mind, had no logical origin. "No matter what happens, I still think you're very brave," she told him as she gently closed the door behind her. _

_She didn't give him time to answer; no matter what he'd said earlier, she'd convinced herself he wouldn't come. _

Sunlight pried Azula's eyes open and she was surprised to see it swimming through her tears. _Crying? Whatever for? _Azula wondered with a mental huff. She wiped them away hastily, frowning with annoyance and jumped up from her red silk bedding. The images may be gone, but the flood of emotions left in its wake unnerved her.; they were too unfamiliar. She rushed to her wash basin, ridding herself of the remnants of sleep. She hoped the cleansing would bring her some clarity.

Azula looked in the mirror. Her eyes and complexion had been improving over the past year, and her face had a lot of its youthful glow restored. The fresh mountain air was to blame for this as was the combination of medication, and affection from her animals.

Outside her newly refurbished stateroom at the temple, Dominatia called "Good Morning" in what Azula liked to call "bisonese."

"Good morning Dominatia," Azula returned, smoothing her hair and retrieving her robes.

The Giant Bison pushed something through the window of her room. The glint of gold caused Azula to smile: it was the crown that proclaimed her status as Bison Lord.

Brushing her hair, she called out "You polished it again, didn't you Dominatia?"

The bison bellowed an affirmative and something else Azula interpreted to her liking. "Well of course I _deserve it_ Dominatia, but that's not the point." She brushed her hair and donned the ruby encrusted diadem from which tiny gold chains and arrows dangled. Then she affixed her white robes which were trimmed with gold and red. Aang said that in his time the Bison Lord wore such clothing, with the exception of the red stripe at the bottom. This had been added, at Zuko's suggestion, to signify her status as Fire Nation Royalty. "The point, Dominatia, is that some of the other ladies should share these chores. I might be your Lord, but you are my General. Have someone else do it from time to time."

Dominatia grunted with casual agreement as she waited for her mistress to finish getting ready.

At last Azula stepped through the doorway to join her Alpha Female and therapy pet. Azula's position was nothing new; in Aang's time the title was known as "Mother Keeper Superior." The title was given to a nun who showed exceptional skill and control with the bison. It was her job to ensure their health, proliferation, happiness and continued bond with the Air Nation people. Her word became law in anything concerning them.

Sokka thought the term "Bison Lord" sounded more "Fire Nationy" and would give Azula the power status she craved.

Thank the spirits he was right.

To her complete surprise the Temple suited Azula. Even though she was still considered a patient and in some ways "on parole," she felt very free there. There was plenty of room, beautiful scenery, fresh air, plentiful wild gardens, and crisp cool water flowing down through the ravines. Her ancestor Sozin had almost destroyed the bison completely. Now it would be her penance for her multiple attempted homicides to bring them back from almost extinction.

"Good morning my children!"

The four female bison waiting outside of Azula's state room stood, reared their heads, and then bent down on one knee in genuflection, as Azula had taught them.

"As always my loyal subjects, your worship is not only _appropriate_, but _appreciated_," Azula said, returning their bow. "Today my beautiful ladies, today I have an announcement. You will all be coming into season soon. Therefore it is imperative that you mate successfully with a male of your choosing. We must increase our Army's numbers!" She brandished her closed fist for emphasis.

The four bison looked at each other. Jezobel lowered her head and trembled a little. Lillith pawed at the ground. Delilah cocked her head. Dominatia stared gruffly at her mistress and reprimanded her with a half-yawn/ half bellow.

Azula scowled. "Well why not? Avatar Aang told me that it's enjoyable for bison, and there are very practical, _very necessary _applications at play here, ladies! You're lucky my ancestor Sozin didn't wipe you out. Now we have a chance to save you from extinction and build our glorious army! So what's the problem?"

Her four ladies stared blankly at her.

Azula huffed, then guestured up at the cliff overlooking the carved out Temple where a few male bison liked to mill about on the open plain. "The males look at me every day and ask if you're all in season, and Appa's coming in a few weeks. What am I supposed to tell them!?" Just then a male bison, who had been lumbering near the cliff with his other two buddies hung his head over the ledge and bellowed down at Azula.

Azula scowled at the male and put up a warning finger about which danced a stream of lightning. "Stay out of this, unless you'd like to be rendered _incapable_ of mating."

The male grumbled and retraced his head; the others followed closely behind. Azula extinguished her lightning, griping under her breath. Azula didn't have much interaction with the male bison. Mostly they hung out on the plain above the temple and grumbled down at Azula and her ladies from time to time. If they got in her way she wasn't' shy about putting them in their place, and they weren't shy about obeying her. Otherwise, they remained separate from Azula and the females.

Azula cleared her throat, then continued: "Rules Ladies: Keep to one male." She pointed a warning finger at them all. "Why? The genetic pool is thin as it is and we have to be very careful to avoid inbreeding and…well it's just _not proper_! I consider you all noble bison, not promiscuous bison."

The three lesser females looked at Dominatia and then began to warble extensively, as though complaining. Dominatia sniffed at them, grumbled a little, then smacked her paw against the ground.

Sensing their displeasure, Azula crossed her arms. "Oh, I'm sorry. Do you all need a minute?" she snarked, clearly annoyed.

Dominatia roared a "yes."

"Fine, do what you want," Azula turned her back to start the water pump for her subjects so they could have a drink. When this chore was finished and she returned to her bison, Dominatia gave her an unwelcome verdict.

"What do you mean _they're not ready for a relationship_, Dominatia?!"

The bison's answer had a distinct hint of obstinacy.

"What do you mean '_I should know?_'" Sudden realization dawned on Azula and she grabbed the back of her hair with frustration "_Oh, not this again! _Dominatia, we've been through this so many times I'm growing sick of it! It was just a one night stand!"

Dominatia disagreed.

"You don't have to do _that_ in order for it to be a one night stand Dominatia! You know very well he won't come; he's afraid of me."

Dominatia wasn't so sure of this.

"I know I told him he was brave, and he_ is_…but _not that brave_. Everyone's afraid of me Dominatia. He only said those things so I wouldn't cremate him. You know it; I know it!"

Dominatia let loose an obstinate bellow and sneeze.

"Well, everyone except for you. Why aren't you afraid, by the way?"

Dominatia mewled and smacked her paw against the ground, causing the earth beneath Azula to quake slightly.

"Oh, right," Azula remembered. "You weigh ten tons, and I always loose when I wrestle you." She swept a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Well, that doesn't change anything between Kuei and I! He's not a ten ton bison, and he IS afraid," Azula quipped. "He won't come. You'll see." She threw her head and shoulders back, as though proud of what she'd declared, even though she felt a foreign twinge in her chest the moment it left her lips. She huffed a little, as though to force the strange discomfort out, then strode to the water pump to draw more drinking water for Dominatia and the others.

Dominatia rolled her eyes and stuck out her tongue behind her mistress' back, but bent her head down for a drink once the water halted. The other bison joined her.

"There you go ladies. Drink up. We'll continue our conversation tomorrow."

The bison mewled appreciatively and Azula continued with the rest of her chores. Mostly bison were self-sufficient. They foraged their own food, and there was a stream they could drink from running through the base of the canyon below, but there were things she enjoyed doing for them. Pumping fresh filtered water from the underground spring was one; this way they wouldn't have to fly all the way down the canyon in the morning. She also got to baking bread and clay shots that she used for target practice later; the Temple had ancient, but fabulous stone ovens that were great for baking.

There would have been a time when Azula would have considered this sort of work beneath her, but her medication and time alone had changed her. There were also no humans to see or judge her in her drudgery; and the bison bowed to her no matter how much menial work she performed or how dirty she got while doing it. A lot of times, the bison even helped her. Her therapist and psychiatrist came about once a week, and mother showed up every couple of weeks. Zuzu was busy but tried very hard to make it about once a month. In addition, she was allowed to visit the Fire Nation Palace two days per month and take what she needed for her mission to repopulate the bison. What more could she ask for?

What more indeed.

The day passed much like any other day, but Azula spent most of it pensive, her mind drifting between Kuei and the challenges of mating season. It was right around the corner and her last attempt to pair the bison had ended in disaster. Despite two years of being around Azula, they still hated just about every other human on the face of the earth. Dominatia's reaction to Kuei had actually surprised Azula. Her favorite bison was friendlier than the others, but even she would rarely let anyone other than Azula touch her. Kuei had given her a full belly rub.

Azula's eyebrows knit together with frustration and her fists balled at her temples. Of all the ridiculous things to think about at a time like this! She wanted desperately to increase her bison army, and that would only happen through successfully mating them! What of all things did that silly King have to do with that?

She started grumbled to herself towards the end of the day and throughout supper, drawing the attention of her therapy bison who growled a question at her.

"OF COURSE I TOOK MY MEDICATION DOMINATIA!" Azula screamed over her shoulder as she cleaned up after dinner that night.

Dominatia wasn't so sure, and flared her nostrils to make sure Azula smelled of the prescription herbs. Satisfied with the evidence but not Azula's attitude, she roared a rather discontented "good night" at her and then retreated to the ledge of the temple where she rolled on her back to sleep in her classic "belly baring" position.

Azula cuddled up next to Dominatia once her breathing signaled the bison was asleep. The Princess didn't mean to sleep there, only sit for a bit while her mind calmed down, but instead it raced.

Fidgety and annoyed with herself, Azula got up and retreated to her stateroom. Once there she spread out a rug and then sat in the lotus position. She used to think that meditation was a ridiculous past time, but in combination with her medication it worked well to calm her mind and center her. Her therapist had first suggested it and Avatar Aang had helped her to perfect it. Meditation also allowed her to communicate with the spirit world, which had surprised Aang. The Avatar was supposed to be the only one capable, but Azula, who jumped rope with the fine line between genius and insanity could also dance between the natural and the supernatural.

The first time it happened Azula was sure she was hallucinating again. But over time she realized that it only happened during meditation, and never when she was in front of the mirror or near water, like the hallucinations had a tendency to do.

Sometimes the spirits came, sometimes not. She found that many of the Air Spirits liked her, which made sense. She was living at an Air Temple and despite all of her nastiness, she was trying to be good. Or at least use her nastiness for good purposes. One spirit in particular, Pei Chen, often came to Azula in her meditative state.

She claimed to have been Mother Keeper Superior at the time of the Great Genocide.

"Oh, you couldn't' sleep either," Azula observed casually when Pei Chen manifested herself before Azula in robes of sparkling white and orange.

The spirit laughed softly. "Spirits don't' sleep Azula," she corrected.

"Well I'm glad you're here," Azula told the spirit. "I have a problem with these bison. Dominatia doesn't want to mate and neither do her friends. I thought about getting Dominatia and another male drunk, because between you and me she's a complete lush, but…"

The spirit's laughter was mystical, like a thousand bells reverberating around her. "Azula, bison are very sensitive creatures. They feed off the energy of the human they're bonded to, and they will react in situations similarly to the way their bonded human does." The spirit cocked her eyebrow. "Do you understand?"

Azula rolled her eyes. "Oh not you too!" she hissed.

"They sense your hesitancy with regard to your own romance, your fear," Pei Chen continued. "Therefore, they will show fear and hesitancy as well."

Azula stared at her blankly. "That can't be the best advice you have," she deadpanned.

The spirit sighed. "There is another thing. A book; It contains all the knowledge of the Keepers past. My office is located deep underneath the Temple; I was there when your ancestor attacked. I died there with my hand still on it. Then when my spirit left my body I watched as the soldiers left the rest of my office intact. However…"

"However?"

"They burned the causeway from the Temple mount to the tunnel below where my office was located, and the survivors of the initial siege returned twenty years later to lay booby traps at the entrance before they too were hunted down by Sozin. My point is that you will have a difficult time getting to it. And then, once you are there…."

The spirit's expression fell. "My office is surrounded by caverns and an underground spring; it is a very spiritual place where the energies of heaven and the underworld meet, where good and evil are at constant odds with each other. You may not like what you find."

Azula waved her hand dismissively. "It can't be any worse than therapy."

Pei Chen looked at her, a warning in her eyes. "Look below the base of the southernmost building, and be careful, Lord of the Bison." She disappeared.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for waiting. Hubby left for Afghanistan this weekend, so I appreciate your patience. As a reward I bring you…**_**Azula Croft and the Western Air Temple of Doom**_**! Can't take credit for that phrase, got it from one of my reviews. **

"Oh Dominatia, it's just a little exploring!"

Azula's therapy bison was beside herself, moaning and shaking as she watched her mistress fit herself with a climbing harness, some old rags, a couple of axes, knives, a skin of water, and a loaf of bread.

She had shed her usual Bison Lord robes for a simple set of pants and a tight fitting top that allowed greater maneuverability. Her hair was braided into a long plait that swept her back; her bangs casually swept her forehead. If these booby traps were anything like what she used to torment Ty Lee with, then she would need to be fast.

Dominatia looked down the 45 degree incline tunnel below the southernmost pagoda. She saw only a dark foreboding hole, a hole she couldn't fit through if she tried. Dominatia wasn't a fan of tunnels, but this tunnel's size particularly concerned her. It was very small. What if something happened? She wouldn't be able to get to Azula! None of the bison would! She voiced her concerns and laid her paws over her ears, still shaking a little.

"Oh my dear General,"Azula said with an empathy few creatures had ever seen from her, "I forget how little you've seen me in action." She stroked the bison's nose. "But I take after my brother, which means I'm _very difficult to kill._ I'll be fine! Now," she handed her General a rope, "just hold onto this and pull me up when I command you. Besides, Zuzu comes today. He can help if I get into trouble…at least, I think so…"Azula put her hand on her chin, trying to remember her schedule.

Dominatia glared at her mistress and slammed the rope down on the ground. Her lips curled back into an angry snarl.

Azula smiled despite her bison's attitude and brought something out from behind her back: a bottle of Earth Kingdom wine from Kuei's wine tour. "I've had my medication today Dominatia, but I can see it's time for yours."

Dominatia's attitude changed immediately and while the bison was busy clawing at the cork, Azula disappeared into the tunnel below.

" # # # # # #

About halfway down, Azula slowed her pace and let out more slack on the rope. Azula was careful with her footing; a few feet in the natural slope gave way to ancient, crumbling stairs and the sunlight filtering down grew very thin. She bent a flame in her left hand and the dancing fire provided dim, but sufficient illumination that painted the tunnel walls a ghostly hue.

Then a strange thing happened. Instead of going down, the stairs began to incline, and Azula's instincts kicked in. She paused, breathing deeply to center herself and draw from the natural environment. She constructed a large lightning ball which she directed up the staircase to illuminate the way.

Less than two hundred feet away was a large growling stone bison, its front paws reared in warning, its amber jeweled eyes glinting as the lightning flashed past it. It blocked about 60% of the entrance, and Azula guessed that the booby traps wouldn't be far behind or in front of this stone guardian.

The lightning flashed bight and blue against the bison, before dissipating against the beast's gray coat. Darkness hid its treasure once more.

"Now there's something you don't see every day," Azula observed, her voice soft in the darkness. She wadded up some of the rags and set them burning in a few corners of the cave for illumination. Then she disconnected the rope that connected her to Dominatia and tied it fast to a long stone on the side of the cave. Moving gracefully, she sidled over to the wall and placed an iron chink in between the crumbling stones. Then she delivered several blows until the iron rod was secure enough for standing. She climbed atop it and pounded another rod in in front of her. Booby traps were often triggered by a poorly placed foot against the earth, so she would just have to put her feet elsewhere. Her movement along the wall was painfully slow, as it required her to repeatedly place the chinks for the twenty feet between herself and the bison, but at length she reached the tunnel's stone guardian.

She landed lightly on top of the Bison's paw and mounted him with ease.

His timeless and angry stare bored through her. She placed a foot in his giant maw and cocked her head at the amber jeweled eyes, but decided against going for them. Anything obviously valuable was more likely to be death rigged, and she could always swipe jewels from Zuzu. Only the infamous book held her interest.

She scaled the guardian's head and set more rags burning along the back of the bison. Then she sat cross legged, bending two flames in the palms of her hands for greater illumination.

The bison had been impressive, but his keep was even more so. The narrow tunnel fanned out into a large atrium, a holy chamber that had both a sense of confinement and infinity. The floor, if one could call it that, was a series of pegs jutting up from a pit with unknown depth. Looking at it, Azula was reminded of a darker version of the airball court where Dominatia and her friends liked to play. Several immense statues of nuns lined the walls, their impossibly long legs stretching down into the darkness. For all Azula knew, the pit had no bottom. Several smaller stone bison were clawing their way up from the gaping earth. They grimaced sadistically as they balanced on the stone pillars and reached out toward Azula, their claws set in a frozen attack.

The roof was a strange collection of stalagmites carved into arrows. They looked natural, and yet unnatural at the same time. The beautiful statues of nuns scowled at her as they held giant bows, bows whose strings were as tall as Azula. She noticed that they were set with arrows.

Azula put out one flame and set her hand to her chin in study. This was definitely Air Nomad art. It had the arrows, the soft lines, and the proper colors. At the same time it was far different from the serene architecture of the surface temple where her troubled mind had found peace. It was sinister, foreboding, and yet desperate. She lit another wad of rags and cast it into the pit below.

Then she saw them.

Four skeletons set in the lotus position, tucked into the corner of the cave. Their clothes had been burned away.

Azula cocked her head, considering them. She clapped audibly, and then addressed the lifeless bodies: "Impressive. Now, since you've obviously got nothing to say, I will have to think like you. If I were an Air Nomad, trying to protect my secrets from the Fire Nation, how would I rig these traps?"

Of course the skeletons were silent, but she didn't need their advice. Azula was as much of a genius as she was a nutcase; a thought soon came to her.

She took up a bending stance. Her blue stream of fire snaked onto the threshold of the hall, right where the cobblestone floor gave way to the spires. The response was immediate; the whirr of arrows deafening. Azula flattened against the back of the statue. When the hall fell silent again, Azula raised her head. Several arrows were teetering on the pillars of the floor, some were stuck fast into the stone bison and nuns. Not all of the nuns had loosed their arrows, and most of the ones that had flown were normal size. It meant that they came from somewhere other than the statues. She squinted, but the dark walls behind the bright limestone nuns remained hidden; Azula could only guess that there were mechanisms designed for launching an arrow shower hidden in the walls.

And suddenly she was filled with respect for these people. They were supposed to be peaceful, weak, and according to her father "unworthy" of existence, but they had constructed a death trap far more entertaining than anything Azula used to train on, and the Bison Lord could already tell it would put her skills to the test. She felt a rush of adrenalin and impatience, and she set to navigating the hall, one precarious step at a time.

Her first attempt at footing ended in disaster. The pillar sank quickly beneath her and she used her bending and a climbing axe to secure her grip on another. When she reached the top of it, she noted it had a pale blue arrow carved into the top. She couldn't remember if the one that failed her was painted, but she used a very small flame to distinguish one pillar from another and chose only those with pale arrows. The technique seemed to work for her.

She avoided the columns with the smaller growling bison. Azula noticed that they had a small dead space between themselves and the apex of the columns upon which they rested. It looked as though they were designed to spin about them and deliver a mechanical blow she'd rather not experience.

When she was halfway through the chamber she hung from one of the pillars and then launched a round of fire into the hallway. Another storm of arrows played above, while Azula hung safely below the reach of the trap. When the storm cleared, she pulled herself up.

Keeping to the arrow tipped spires, she crossed the pit to another chamber, one that beckoned her with a distant dripping of water.

Pei Chen had been right. There was something very different abou this place. Not that Azula was scared. Nothing scared her. Well nothing except for Kuei and things that didn't make sense, which he didn't. But that was off the subject.

What was even more off the subject was the ancient library laying casually beside by a still and ancient underground river. Books and jewels of all kinds dotted the towering shelves. Azula walked toward the shelves, the blue flame in her hands, but stopped when her foot crunched on something suspect. She looked down; true to the spirit's story, there was a skeleton grasping at a giant book. Azula hurriedly picked the book up and smiled at the illustration of the sky bison on the front. She meant to leave the second her mission was accomplished, but as she secured the article to her back, Azula couldn't help but notice her Nations' craftsmanship, the ancient spear that held Pei Chen's skeleton fast to the floor.

Azula was here for the book. She knew that. Pei Chen had pleaded caution; also no secret. Get the book and get out; pretty much the mission.

But when she looked at the mortal form of the spirit she'd conversed with, she was seized with something. It was incredibly unfamiliar and painful, like it was wrenching her on the inside and crushing her from the outside, and it literally froze her feet to the floor.

And while she stood there frozen, malevolence began to churn in the waters behind her, energy in the air about her. Memory and time manifested itself in the form of a scene from unknown history: a residual haunting. Suddenly the skeleton before her was no longer a skeleton, but a flesh and blood woman grabbing at the spear in her chest and gasping for air. She didn't seem to see Azula.

In addition the chamber was no longer dark and flickering with Azula's blue flame, but orange and fully lit. It was no longer silent and peaceful with the steady drip of water, but alive with the sounds of battle and death.

She turned around and saw dozens of soldiers, nuns, and monks locked in battle. Several ran right through her. One took a spear and jammed it through Azula's head into a monk who collapsed onto the stone floor behind her. None of them saw Azula. She was a fixture in the room; she might as well have been a chair or table, an inanimate object that could have no part or opinion in the destruction. Quaking, she slowly backed away from the library as the spirits performed before her terrified eyes. Azula was grateful that she hadn't yet been noticed and hoping it would last.

But it didn't.

A Fire Nation soldier, after neatly destroying a monk, stopped where he was and looked straight at the Princess.

She felt her heart stop because she recognized him almost instantly. It was amazing how skilled the royal painter had been.

"So, princess, you've come to help us finish them off. _Make sure you get the bison_."

Azula screamed and forgot the fact that she was running into a chamber complete with bottomless pit and booby traps galore. She triggered several arrows, but she ran so fast that it mattered little. The arrow stalagmites began to fall from the roof above, missing her by mere inches. She forgot to avoid the pillars with the small bison clinging to them; their claws tore her shirt and left welts on her back. But worse than the physical pain was the sense that she was being judged. By the spirits, by the dead, by the Universe, by all that had lived and would live. There was also a sense sense that her judgment was just; it was deserved, and that it had been far too slow in coming.

By some miracle she made it through the hall alive and past the stone Bison, but on the way out her foot touched a hydraulic trigger. The descending stairs fell away slightly as she ran down them, revealing an ancient metal track, and the stones before the bison sentinel crumbled. This complete, there was nothing propping the bison up, and physics assisted him in a rapid and merciless descent on his prey. The groaning of stone on metal was deafening and horrid.

She was almost at the point where the stairs started climbing again when she felt something knock her from behind. The impact tore her breath and strength and filled her with such crippling pain, Azula couldn't tell whether she had or hadn't been crushed by the barreling stone sentinel. She looked up, and the sunlight at the end of the tunnel wavered. .

Her hand procured a futile reach for the rope she'd secured so that Dominatia could pull her up. It was too far away, and she was too weak to get to it. Her last thought as she drifted off was that she was dying, it was deserved, and perhaps everyone would be better off this way.

# # # #

Kuei had never seen the Western Air Temple. He'd heard stories, but the striking thing about it was the way the Earth and Sky blended together in perfect harmony. The clouds danced about, but the fluid stone of the statues and the shelf upon which it was built was steady, timeless, and imposing. Kuei could see a few bison flying around in the distance. He couldn't tell if Dominatia was among them. As they got closer however, Kuei was filled with the sense that something was wrong. The bison were bellowing almost constantly; some were growling at each other, and their flight patterns were sharp and spastic, not soft and casual like Appa's. They seemed irritated, distressed.

Bosco growled beside him, and Kuei reached down to absently pet his companion.

Given the nature of the King's love interest, Kuei had had several of his most trusted soldiers accompany him. General Fong was one of them. He stepped beside Kuei, placing his hands on the rail of the war balloon. A no nonsense military man, General Fong plainly stated what Bosco and Kuei already feared. "Something is wrong, my King."

Kuei nodded. "Try to steer clear of the Bison as you bring us in, General Fong. They seem very upset."

"Agreed," General Fong declared, and he set the descent in motion. They were a few feet away from linking up with the ledge when Dominatia came barreling toward the war balloon, mewling frantically at the men. Her eyes fixed on Kuei, and before the King could offer her another belly rub she had picked him up by the scruff of his neck.

General Fong drew his sword.

"It's all right!" Kuei called, though bison slobber was beginning to creep down the back of his robes. "She's a friend, and I think she wants to show me something!"

Fong shrugged, but motioned his men to follow the bison and her royal chew toy. Dominatia glided quickly over the earth, then deposited Kuei at the mouth of a giant tunnel. Kuei looked down the hole inquisitively. Bosco came running up and pawed at the mouth of it, his nostrils full of Azula's scent.

Dominatia began to warble desperately at the King.

Kuei looked at her, adjusting his glasses. "What's that Dominatia? Azula's trapped in a well and you can't get to her?"

Dominatia frowned, obviously irritated at having to repeat herself.

"Oh _a hole_!" Kuei corrected. "You'll have to forgive me Dominatia, my bison is a little bit rusty."

General Fong arrived alongside the King, his command ready to serve. "Shall we go after her, my King?"

Kuei pursed his lips, and looked down at Bosco, who was mewling with concern and pawing at the rocks. Though he loved her, he couldn't deny the fact that Azula was very dangerous, and surly, and well, just kind of a pain in general. She was barely in touch with reality when on her medication and well cared for; he didn't want to imagine what she was like now, after being in a hole for spirits only knows how long deprived of food and water and other such necessities.

"Only a few of us should go," Kuei decided at last. He looked at General Fong. "Azula's very _mistrustful_. I know she won't hurt me, but I think she might not be so gracious to someone she doesn't know. General Fong, you may come to assist me, but let me approach her first."

# # # #

It didn't' take long for Kuei and his General to find the fallen princess.

She was lying at the foot of a giant smashed statue, and at first glance Kuei feared she might be dead. But when he put his hand on her face and tried to shake her awake, her sharp eyes focused on him. A second later, she slapped him hard on the cheek, jostling his glasses and dissolving his worst fears. He almost cried with relief.

A second later, she appeared to be sleeping again.

"The temper's definitely not overrated," General Fong observed dourly. He started pushing aside the stones trapping Azula, and Kuei assisted him. Kuei had only recently started working out. The King had always been naturally slender, and before he had a love interest it seemed silly to spend much time on his physique, but he decided after becoming interested in Azula that he'd better hit the gym a little. It had paid off with better muscles and increased strength. He pushed the rocks aside with Bosco and Fong's help and surprisingly little struggle or fanfare.

At long last the Bison Lord was freed. Kuei pulled her close to him, his eyes brimming with tears. She was very limp, as though she'd been Chi Blocked. In truth she was precariously going in and out of consciousness. After several minutes her eyelids fluttered open and her eyes focused on him with a remarkable, spooky clarity. She sat bolt upright and pointed a warning finger at him. "You're an awful strange hallucination," she snarked, swaying just a little. "You look like that King. That King who likes…. _crazy women_," Her eyes rolled back into her head and she swooned again.

Kuei caught her.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Avatar World****'****s Wackiest Romance continues. We revisit Cinderella in this chapter, with an Air Nomad Flair. **

General Fong offered, but Kuei insisted on carrying Azula up through the tunnel. Instead, Fong assisted by lugging a strange and ancient book the princess had strapped to her back. The two of them thought it odd that she would have an encyclopedia attached to her, but that was a mystery for later. Their main concern was getting Azula to safety.

Kuei wasn't a body builder, but Azula was by no means heavy either. Her lighter dress and unconscious state made his task easier, though he liked to think that Azula would have let him hold her even if she was aware of things.

He reached the mouth of the tunnel and set Azula down gently on a stretcher that the General's men had readied. Dr. Ping, a psychiatrist Kuei had thought to bring, hovered briefly over the princess. He shook his head. "From what I can tell she's going to be all right. Then again, I haven't touched wounds like this since medical school. We should take her to her brother. The palace isn't far, and it's her best chance."

Kuei and his General agreed and readied the balloon for travel. Dominatia hurriedly slipped on her saddle and grinned at Kuei.

"On the way back, dear," Kuei politely refused her. "I'd like to stay with your Lord in the balloon."

Dominatia sniffed with understanding, then warbled a command at the other three bison who were staying behind. They bowed submissively, and Dominatia took to the skies, bellowing to lead the way.

Kuei sat down next to his love on the stretcher. General Fong and crew took over from there, guiding the balloon behind their fluffy guide. He pressed a gentle kiss to the back of Azula's hand and covered her with a blanket.

Bosco curled up next to Azula's cot and Kuei pet the bear's snout. "I think she's going to be Ok Bosco," Kuei shared. The bear yawned in seeming agreement and his paws pushed the large Air Nomad book as he shifted position. Kuei stole a glance at the large volume and the reason, he guessed, that she was in that hole to begin with.

Curious, Kuei picked up the heavy book. It was an Air Nomad artifact, and a good deal of the book contained guidance concerning the bison. It talked about grooming, medical care, bonding patterns with humans,and proper ways to mate them. However, there was also a section in the back containing a great deal of history and poetry and science as well. Over the past few years, much of Kuei's kingdom had taken a real interest in Air Nomad culture, and the King was no exception. In the back there were several legends. One in particular caught his eye.

This story was about a beautiful Air Nomad woman who had garnished the attention of a Fire Lord centuries earlier, then lost a shoe while at the ruler's Ball.

The Fire Lord searched the land for her for almost three years, trying that blasted shoe on every eligible woman in the Fire Nation. Finally, one of his advisors suggested he search outside his kingdom, and that's when he found her. It turns out that she was an Air Nomad peasant. Her lifestyle of constant wandering made her very difficult to find.

When he finally found her she tearfully confessed: "I wanted you to remember me as you thought I was..a noblewoman, an intellectual, not as a poor Air Nomad girl who was lucky enough to earn the love of a king."

Kuei had just finished reading the story when Fong touched his shoulder to alert him. Kuei stood up to find Caldara gleaming below them. They touched down gently at the palace courtyard.

They were greeted by Zuko almost immediately. The young Firelord liked company, and didn't have a taste for doormen or butlers. If it was someone trusted, he preferred to do the greeting himself. He was wearing a gentle smile that faded when he saw his sister's limp form in Kuei's arms. "What happened?"

"We think she went treasure hunting in a dangerous area of the Temple," Kuei answered as he handed Azula over to Zuko's medical team. "I came to court her and found her bison very distressed near a hole where she was trapped."

Zuko smiled at the bison who had her tongue lolling out at him expectantly. "I know I'm going to regret this, but you can have some sake later, Dominatia."

The bison beamed.

In spite of their difficult history together, Kuei could see that Zuko did care for Azula. He directed the servants to prepare her old room and ensured trained nursing staff was available to her. Zuko also offered Kuei and his procession hospitality for the night. Like a dutiful brother, he stayed in Azula's room until he was sure she was stable, then left to attend to his affairs. On his way out Zuko invited Kuei to dine with him later that night.

Kuei politely refused, wanting to stay by Azula's side as much as possible. He did promise to join the Firelord for breakfast the next morning.

Throughout the afternoon Kuei watched Azula sleep, delighting in the ebb and flow of her chest as she breathed and the soft way her hair billowed about her striking features. It was difficult to believe that this young woman had once been a psychotic death machine. Now she was just psychotic.

The road to bravery had been an imposing one for the King. He'd tried charging into battle. Needless to say that was an epic fail. He'd tried talking himself into bravery; also a ridiculous waste of time. But somehow he found it through Azula. She made him brave. He never would have gone into a dark foreboding tunnel, even accompanied by his favorite pet and trusted General, but the thought of Azula in peril had out shadowed all concern he'd had for his own mortality. In hindsight he hadn't even thought of it.

Azula was a confused, schizophrenic shrew, a woman that most men would steer a hundred miles from. She was also arguably the most dangerous, cantankerous, relentless bitch on the face of the planet, but he loved her for what she was, and he loved her for what she was trying to be. Against all odds he did.

Around dinnertime, she woke suddenly and the King leaned in to help her sit up.

The princess didn't fight him, but her eyes darted about, taking in the sights and sounds of her old room. "I'm at the palace," she noted, then her eyes locked on Kuei. "What are you doing here?"

"I was watching you sleep."

"Watching me sleep?" Azula didn't know whether to be touched or creeped out. She told him so, and Kuei burst into laughter.

"You have a very interesting definition of creepy Azula. I can see I'll never be bored around you."

Azula sat up and ran her fingers through her hair, suddenly aware of her appearance. She couldn't look good, having been unconscious for at least a day. She was also vividly aware of the scanty shorts and baggy sleeping shirt the nursing staff had put on her, certainly not attire for a princess or Lord of anything. She drew the blankets over her selfconsciously, wincing in pain as she wriggled her legs under the silk sheets. "What happened?" she asked without looking at him. "I thought I was dead. I think I was supposed to die… Why didn't I?"

Kuei put his hands in his lap, turning them over in study. "The physician's aren't sure. By all means, you should be dead. They think that statue hit you with a lot of force, and you were pinned with stone fragments when General Fong and I got to you. But, you didn't suffer any crush injuries or breaks. Mostly, you were just bruised."

Forgetting herself, Azula whipped the covers off of her legs. Splotches of purple, blue, and ruddy brown distorted her smooth ivory skin. "I can see that. I can also see that it's hideous," she grumbled. She shrunk back against the bedding, and shifted, wincing just slightly. She looked out the window into the palace courtyard where the fountains were playing. This palace, this place held so many memories for her. If she squinted hard enough she could see her eight year ghost outside jumping through hoops of fire and catapulting off of balance beams as Ozai screamed corrections at her. "Why is it, Your Majesty, that the older we get, the less we know?" she asked him.

Kuei didn't answer, but took her hand. She let him, but only lightly returned the touch. Her amber eyes locked on his; they were still intense, but wavering slightly. "When I was young, I thought I knew everything. My father had me run gauntlets all the time. He used to tell me that the Air Nomads were an inferior race. They were weak, unworthy of life, and he called them every obscenity imaginable. But you should have seen the death machine these people concocted. It was…breathtaking and desperate and terrifying all at the same time." She fell back against the bed, panting a little with pain and effort. Her bruised rib was beginning to throb. "I'd never seen a gauntlet like it. An inferior race couldn't' have built that. It actually scared me. You know very little scares me."

The King's eyes softened. "I scare you."

Azula let out a breath. "You confuse me."

# # # # #

The two of them shared dinner in mostly comfortably silence, or what little Azula could choke down as her appetite hadn't fully returned yet. The nurses shooed Kuei out of Azula's room shortly afterwards. They wanted her to take some pain medication and sleep so her body could heal, but they allowed the King in once she was snoring as long as he promised not to wake her. The first tired rays of evening were filtering in through the window, amber and tranquil. He drew the curtains to shut out the soft light, pressed a light kiss to her forehead, and then and settled in the chair next to her.

He planned to stay for only a short time. Kuei was in all things a gentleman, and meant to leave when the moon was up. But it had been a long day for him, and what started as an innocent cat nap soon progressed into REM sleep. He awoke in the middle of the night to the sound of creaking bedsprings and maniacal giggling.

To his surprise, Azula was wide awake, jumping like a giddy five year old on her bed.

He shook his head and rubbed his eyes in disbelief, then horror. "Azula! Stop! You'll hurt yourself!" The King reached for his deranged love and took her firmly by the arm to ground her. Instead of halting her, he pulled her too quickly and she toppled over him, pushing them both backwards so that the blushing monarch landed back in his chair with his half-dressed girlfriend straddling him.

At that point Azula's girlish giggling evolved into an uncontrollable laughing jag. She threw her arms around Kuei and then pressed her forehead against his neck as tears of mania flowed from her eyes. "I can't hurt myself, Majesty!" she declared between guffaws.

"Now Azula, we know that's not true. You've just been through…."

"Narcotics!" she interrupted gleefully. Then her laughter ceased and she drew her face away from his neck. She smirked at him and touched his nose with her finger affectionately. "I've been through a lot of narcotics! I'm fairly certain they gave me too much," she whispered, "That's why I can't hurt myself right now." Then she kissed him. Now the fact that she kissed him was shocking enough, but what was more shocking was the way she did it. It was uninhibited and primal, like a mooselion gumming its prey or a dragon clawing its mate. At one point Kuei wasn't sure if she was showing him affection or trying to eat him, and _he was loving every minute of it_!

At last he realized he had to stop her before it progressed to inappropriate levels; he drew away from her awkwardly. "You really should get back into bed now. "

"I don't waaaannnt to go back to bed," Aula sulked, and she stuck her lower lip out. It was adorable, sweet, and sexy all at the same time. "I'm sick of being in bed."

"You're in bed because you're sick."

"I'm in bed because I was _injured, a_nd I don't want to be in bed anymore!" She leaned into him, her eyes gleaming, the neckline of her shirt gaping to reveal a generous amount of skin. "I want to do something _fun__._ Don't you want to do _something fun_?"

Kuei gulped as he took in her beauty. "More than you know."

# # # #


	6. Chapter 6

**I wrote this while listening to Icona's "I Love It!" I hope you do too ****.**

Now the word "fun" had a different definition for Princess Azula than it did for just about everyone on the planet. Kuei was pretty sure of this before he witnessed any of the insanity that transpired that night, and yet, he couldn't bring himself to say 'no' to any of it. Azula had awakened more than feelings of love in him, she had awakened curiosity. He wanted to know what made this strange woman tick, what filled her with seemingly endless boldness, why she was so different from every other woman he had ever met.

The King had always been a perfect gentleman, an upstanding individual. He made bad decisions, sure, but he never engaged in anything untoward, mischievous, or even forceful. Azula clearly had, and he was desperate to know what inspired her to behave this way, what gave her the courage to do so. He was sure that not all of it was evil. It couldn't be, even if she didn't' want to admit it to herself.

So when, she (much to his disappointment,) crawled off of his lap, threw open the doors to her closet and began to chuck every single bit of its contents out the window of her stateroom, he was horrified and intrigued all at the same time. He watched as pictures, clothing, old toys, and weapons sailed out the window with wild abandon.

"My therapist said something about a 'moral purging' the other day," Azula related casually in the midst of her fit, "and I didn't really understand what she meant until I woke up just now!" Another armful of stuff followed by the sound of crashing and the disgruntled quacking of turtleducks careened onto the courtyard.

Dominatia bellowed up to the window in query.

"Dominatia, we're having a bonfire!" Azula exclaimed to her bison as she hung her head out the window. "Just not right away, I have to find….Ahhh here it is!" The princess exclaimed as she unfurled a scroll.

It was a rather large picture of a little baby balancing on a table, his diaper halfway down his bottom. "Zuzu was so cute when he was little!" Azula declared with an odd sort of nostalgia in her voice.

Kuei chuckled, his laughter bursting equally from his nose and mouth. "That's…Firelord Zuko?"

"Why yes, when he was little. This is all I wanted. I'm going to burn the rest." She casually rolled up the scroll and then tucked it under her arm as she trekked over to the window to shout further instructions down at her bison.

"Burn all of your things?" Kuei asked, somewhat flustered. "Dearest, are you sure you want to do this?

Azula turned back to Kuei, her eyes large, her mouth partway open. "Did you…Did you just call me a _pet name_?"

Kuei nervously tugged at his collar and nodded.

To his surprise Azula smiled. "Well _Sweetie_ if you want to be as barftastic as the Avatar and his girlfriend, then by all means go ahead. You'll forgive me, Your Majesty, if I just stick, with…well _Your Majesty_." She shoved the scroll at him. "Hold this."

"What are we going to do with it?"

"You'll see."

Forgetting that he was an accessory to an escaped psychiatric patient, Kuei helped Azula fake her sleeping form in her bed using old blankets and several strategically placed pillows. Then, the two of them snuck from the window's ledge onto Dominatia's fluffy head. The bison lowered them to the ground and then hunched expectantly, her tongue lolling out as she panted with excitement. Dominatia always knew when Azula was up to something fun. She bellowed a question at her lord.

"Well of course we'll get to that Dominatia, just not right away. We're going to fix the royal hall first. Then it's the sake."

Dominatia sniffed impatiently but was willing to assist so long as she had the promise of a treat later.

The palace was dark and still but strangely peaceful at this time of night. The only people up were the soldiers guarding the outer walls. Everyone within was off in dreamland. There were a few lamps glinting off the rich mahogany walls, but mostly moonlight guided the way for the two miscreants into the royal or 'historical hall' as some liked to call it.

Dominatia squeezed through one of the courtyard archways and into the hall where the portraits of Firelords hung, silent historical markers of a proud nation.

Kuei couldn't help but appreciate the artistic style of the Fire Nation painters, which was somewhat esoteric with the exception of the current Firelord's painting. Zuko had opted for a more natural, true to life style, a frontal portrait that captured every dip and flaw of his face, including his infamous scar.

Azula was looking at a different portrait, one three Firelords before Zuko, with flaming subjects at his feet. Her eyes were large and distant, her fists were at her side, and her lip was trembling despite her defiant posture.

"Are you all right?"

She startled. "Fine," she lied, and to distract Kuei she honed in on her brother's portrait. "Now I told Zuzu to make sure they got his good side, and what does he do? A full frontal portrait with that hideous scar and all!" Azula clicked her tongue disapprovingly as she grabbed the scroll from Kuei. "I'll just have to fix that. Dominatia hoist me up!"

And soon a smiling infant Firelord hung in place of the stately portrait, baby chub butt and all.

Kuei was laughing out loud. "You are delightfully evil!"

"I see nothing evil about this. I'm doing him a favor." Azula said in all seriousness, then dismounted Dominatia and cocked her head at her handiwork. "See, now I much prefer _baby_ Zuzu to _barbequed _Zuzu. Don't you?"

Kuei had to admit that he did. Dominatia also mewled her approval.

Their next stop was a large wine cellar adjacent to the kitchen where Zuko kept his best sake and spirits. Dominatia couldn't fit, but put her eye to the door, its brown depths wildly focused on the prize Azula was raiding.

"I see you out there Dominatia, and you're not going to make Kuei and I work any faster! If anything you're slowing us down!" Azula growled as she handed another case of wine to the King. He was surprised how light it felt in his arms. Why hadn't he hit the gym sooner?

Dominatia rolled her one visible eye then hunkered down outside the doorway while her lips fit together in an impatient bison scowl.

"Is she always this eager around alcohol?" Kuei asked in all seriousness.

Azula rolled her eyes. "She drinks because she has issues," Azula whispered, putting another case of wine at the foot of the stairs for them to carry up in a moment.

The King chuckled. "What kind of issues could a bison possibly have?"

"She won't mate, for one thing. She's scared of being in a relationship for another. That's why I went after the book. It's supposed to have all of this information on how to deal with bison…" Azula's eyes widened with sudden realization and Kuei reached out to catch a large jug of sake that was slipping from her hands. She looked at the King imploringly. "I lost it didn't it?"

Realization dawned on the Kuei. "No, I was looking at it earlier. I left the book under my chair at your bedside. Do you want to go back to your room and look at it?"

Azula let out a breath. "No." Her eyes narrowed. "There will be time for that later."

The King smiled as she hoisted a case of wine up on her hip and traipsed casually up the stairs. He couldn't help but notice the curve of her legs as she strode. He knew he had a stupid grin on his face as he watched her; he didn't care.

When they emerged they noted Dominatia was on her side and had turned over the handsome dinner table in the adjacent dining room. Three of the legs were gone, and the beast was 2/3rds of the way through the fourth, chewing it off.

"Dominatia!" Azula scolded.

The bison looked at her wide eyed and dropped the table down. Then she sat up on her haunches, sheepishly hung her head and flipped the table on its right side with her robust tail. It now sat about 12 inches off the ground instead of 40. The thick table legs lay next to her haphazardly, marred by bison tooth marks. Her large eyes darted to the ground as her ears fell back against her giant head.

Kuei cocked his head at his love's therapy animal. "Is she all right?"

Azula pursed her lips. "I'm not sure," she said in all honesty. While Dominatia did like a good chew, it wasn't in her nature to destroy furniture without Azula's encouragement. Then again, she did like to torment Zuzu, almost as much as she did. The matter warranted watching, and she tossed Dominatia a pretty blue flask with flowers.

The bison eagerly guzzled its contents down.

"I'm beginning to think you have a real problem, Dominatia. How are you going to have any babies if you're a raging alcoholic?" Azula chided. "They'll all come out with Bison Alcohol Syndrome!"

Dominatia stuck out her tongue at Azula, then resumed ingesting her favorite vice.

Kuei snickered. "Bison Alcohol Syndrome? Is that a real thing?"

"You know I'm not sure," Azula said, setting her hand to her chin as she studied Dominatia.

A moment later they loaded the drinks for their bonfire up on her saddle. "Dominatia be a dear and wait outside, would you? There's just one more thing I need to get; we'll be out shortly." She grabbed Kuei's hand as the bison lumbered outside, hiccupping a little.

"Where are we off to?"

"The Armory."

Azula's favorite room was only a few halls away, but nowhere that Dominatia could have fit. The Bison Lord made quick work of the locks with her bending and threw open the large double doors. Then she lit a trough lining the wall. The fire spread in a U around the mirrored room, and a great collection of armor suits, shields, spears, bows, arrows, maces, and swords were soon glinting in the blue flame. Up armored tanks and retired war balloons were also parked behind the suits.

On the very back wall was a great collection of crown jewels of the Fireladies and ornaments worn by the past twenty Firelords along with a few pieces of their surviving royal dress.

Kuei let out a low whistle that echoed in the darkness. "Wow, this is…"

"I know," Azula turned to him, her eyes glistening a little. She put a tentative hand on Kuei's chest and the King fought to suppress a shiver. "It's perfect isn't it?"

"Perfect for?" he breathed, hoping he was not too obvious.

Azula licked her lips. "This room is perfect for one thing and one thing only…playing hide and explode!"

"Hide and explode?"Kuei was a little disappointed but not surprised.

"Oh that's right!" Azula misinterpreted the fall in his voice. "My apologies! I don't imagine they play that in the Earth Kingdom. Well here," she handed him a few matches along with a couple of packets. "Now here's what you do…"

Hide and explode, despite being a childish game, actually turned out to be a lot of fun for Kuei. The object was to hide, and then distract your seeker by lighting little packets of gunpowder away from your stealthy retreat. Thus, the explode part. The armory, with its vehicles and weapons and museum-like layout provided a perfect environment for the King and his wayward lover to chase each other. Azula searched first, and Kuei, being relatively new at this game, was easily found.

When it was Azula's turn to hide Kuei found her behind the historical display, wearing her grandfather Azulon's robe. He tried to pull her into a gentle kiss, but she whirled before he could get a good handle on her and donned Azulon's head piece.

"Look, I'm FIRELORD Azula!" The Bison Lord declared as she stepped up before the mirrors.

Kuei procured a bow and then clapped as she made several exaggerated turns. Unable to keep up the charade, she dissolved into a laughing fit on her fifth turn, and then haphazardly tossed the robe to the floor; the crown was halfway off her head when Kuei grabbed it from her. Still laughing, she leaned into him. "You know it's funny. I once wanted to be Firelord more than anything, and now…well now…"

She whirled out of his arms and then viciously roundhouse kicked the stand displaying Sozin's items. It fell against the one before it, and like dominoes the displays all surrendered, one after another until not a single tribute to Firelords past was left upright.

Azula's laughter abruptly ceased, and for a moment one could have heard a pin drop in the hall.

Sensing something was off, Kuei looked down at his girlfriend. He noticed her eyes, which had been full of mirth only a second ago were now cold and fixed on Sozin's headpiece.

He was about to say something when the Bison Lord walked towards it and landed her foot forcefully on the object, as though trying to crush it. A second later she was gliding over to something in the corner, and she emerged with an armful of small rockets.

The coldness was gone from her eyes, and she was smiling gently at Kuei again. "These fireworks were supposed to be for my coronation as Firelord, but I banished my munitions experts before they could launch them." She shrugged, as though what she had said was the most casual thing in the world. Then she turned to the door and walked out of the armory with the rockets still in her hands.

Kuei followed her.

# # # # #

The bonfire of Azula's memories lit pretty easily. The flames burned blue at first then gradually dissolved into red as her things were consumed.

There were always small fires burning in the courtyard of the palace, so one more wouldn't be noticed. Besides, there really wasn't all that much stuff. For having been the culmination of Azula's childhood, a princess' childhood no less, Kuei noticed that the pile was relatively small. Strangely, it was mostly weapons. A few toys, but they were almost like the toys one would give a boy, tin soldiers, small drums, and they melted in the crackling flames.

Azula watched it all with a pensive and peaceful look on her face, as though what she was doing was the most healing thing in the world. Kuei guessed that it probably was.

He poured them both a glass of wine and she accepted with a smile. Dominatia finished off the rest. They sipped in a long but comfortable silence until Azula asked him: "Why aren't you afraid of me?" She was staring into the fire when she asked him this, and her voice was small, wavering, as though she herself was afraid of the answer.

Kuei cleared his throat, and looked at the bonfire for several moments, considering her question. At long last he admitted: "I don't know. Even when you held me captive back in Ba Sing Se, I wasn't afraid of you."

Azula was floored. "You're kidding, right?" she deadpanned.

"No, I'm not kidding. You didn't scare me. You actually fascinated me. You had that flame to my neck, and I kept thinking 'now how is she doing that? That's remarkable.' I'd never seen a firebender before ,much less one that could wield blue flame. I knew you wouldn't' kill me. I'm the King, I'm too valuable." Kuei relaxed and crossed his arms under his head as he laid back against the earth.

Azula shifted a little, not sure how to take the flattery.

The King grinned inwardly. He had her where he wanted her. "I'm not afraid of you, Azula. I never was and I never will be.'"

"You don't think I'm a monster?" she asked with a squeak.

Kuei looked at her, adjusting his glasses. He had her out of her comfort zone, but that was where most healing took place, at least, according to Dr. Ping. He pushed her further out of it: "No. I think you're a very naughty young woman in need of a hug and several spankings." Kuei paused. "Unfortunately for me, we'll have to wait on the spankings."

What they didn't have to wait on was the launch of Azula's coronation rockets. Once the bonfire had burned out and the spirits were consumed Azula suggested they get right to it, right next to Zuzu's window of course.

"Won't he wake up?" Kuei asked.

"Probably, but you can run, can't you?" Azula asked, setting the rockets on their stands.

Kuei grinned broadly with affirmation , and she returned his expression. He knew right then and there that they were connecting on a deep and spiritual level, a level where mischief and unparalleled fun also played.

The rockets went off without a hitch and Azula and Kuei ran across the rooftops to Azula's old room.

"Dominatia, hide and go to sleep!" Azula hissed as the two of them dove into the window, and the bison flew off obediently.

Across the courtyard, Kuei just caught sight of her very disgruntled brother screaming out the window, his voice unintelligible next to the squeal of the rockets. "He's up," Kuei noted nonchalantly, "and he doesn't look happy."

"Zuzu's never happy!" Azula giggled into his robes and the King just held her. He knew she loved the affection, and he rather liked it himself. He propped her chin up in order to steal a kiss, but the tears streaming her face stopped him. "Are you all right?" Kuei asked. "You look like you're in pain."

Azula's eyes were wavering slightly. "I think the narcotics are wearing off," she choked out.

The King scooped her into his arms and made his way to her bed. "Now, dearest you're going to have to listen to me from now on when I tell you you're overdoing it."

She didn't chastise him for the pet name this time. She drew her arms around his neck and buried her face in his robes, sobbing just a little. Some of the tears were from the pain; most of them were in disbelief that someone would actually care this much about it.

Kuei tucked his lover into the blankets and Azula looked at him with large eyes as he tried to make her comfortable. Then he slipped something under her arm.

"See it's right here," he told her as the Air Nomad volume was tucked under her arm. "There's a note in there also for you later I wrote. I'll tell the nurses on the way out that you need another dose."

"You're leaving?"

Kuei straightened. "I'll be back in the morning."

"It is morning," Azula yawned.

"All the more reason for me to leave."


	7. Chapter 7

**Kind of hurried to get this chapter up, so if you notice errors, please let me know.**

**You'll also notice that Ursa is a little out of character from what we know of her. But I think Azula's illnes is getting in the way of her remembering things correctly. That's my stance on that issue at least.**

** Anyway, enjoy the Bison Lord.**

Kuei stumbled into his guest suite around quarter to four that morning. Bosco looked up at him with sleepy eyes and a half grin from his cushion at the foot of the bed.

"I'm sorry, Bosco," the King muttered as he collapsed on the guest bed with a content sigh. "I didn't mean to stay out this late, but I'm glad I did."

Bosco mewled a little, then set his head back against the pillow.

"It's not what you think Bosco," Kuei muttered as he drifted off to the screech of the fireworks and a very angry Firelord shouting orders outside. His dreams were full of laughter.

# # # #

A few hours later Kuei awoke feeling refreshed, despite what little sleep he'd had. He washed and dressed in a simple set of slacks and shirt. As he was shaving, he remembered his commitment with Firelord Zuko for breakfast and wondered how he would be able to keep a straight face. As it was he couldn't stop smiling at himself in the mirror.

Just then Bosco lumbered up beside Kuei and stood up on his hind legs so he could sniff his reflection in the mirror beside Kuei. He flashed the King a knowing, big-toothed bear grin. "Good idea, Bosco. I'll just chalk my idiotic grinning up to being in love. It won't be a complete lie."

The bear waggled his head several times in approval and then strode to the door, pawing at it.

"I'm getting hungry too, Bosco," Kuei agreed as he reached for the door latch. "What do you say we find the Firelord and get some breakfast?" But the Firelord had beat him to it; he was poised there at the threshold when Kuei opened the door, his hand ready to knock.

Zuko's face was noticeably drawn and pale, his eyes large and bloodshot. His casual dress was noticeably ruffled. "Oh good, you're still alive," Zuko said in a listless voice. "I was worried she did something to you. You know, kind of like a black widowhawk eats the male after…."

"Firelord Zuko," Kuei interrupted gently, "you seem out of sorts. You know I brought my psychiatrist, Dr. Ping. You're more than welcome to utilize him."

Zuko blinked and put his hand on the door frame to keep from swaying. "Thanks but it's not that. See I uh, I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Strange," Kuei cleared his throat to choke back his laughter. "I slept rather well." Kuei stepped out the door. "Let's get some tea, Firelord Zuko. You seem like you're in bad need of it."

The dazed Firelord nodded and allowed the Earth King, ironically, to lead him to his own kitchen.

The servants were already bustling in the kitchen, scrambling to clean up a mess which was only partially corrected. They had fixed the dining room. The large chairs were pulled against the wall and they brought in several large cushions next to the altered dining room table which now looked more like a raised slab of wood. "I hope you don't mind eating Water Tribe style," Zuko said. He seemed neither surprised nor upset at the broken glass outside the cellar door and the fact that his handsome table now had stumps instead of stately carved legs. He plopped himself down on the cushions and nodded thanks to the servants as they brought in the tea and breakfast. "You see, something always changes whenever Azula comes to visit. She likes…_redecorating_. At least she's not trying to kill me anymore." He looked around the room, as though unsure of his surroundings or expecting to see someone hiding in the eaves. Then his eyes swung back to Kuei "Is she?"

"Pardon?"

"Is she trying to kill me again, Kuei?"

The Earth King had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. "Of course not Zuko."

Zuko breathed a sigh of relief and scratched his head. He downed his tea, ate a few bites, and then pushed the rest of his breakfast to Bosco, who happily cleaned the plate.

After a few minutes, the Firelord looked up at his guest. "She's not all there, Kuei," he announced awkwardly. "I mean..you know that right?"

Kuei peered at his host over the rim of his glasses."I'm aware of her condition, Firelord. But in the Earth Kingdom, we have very different ways of looking at psychiatric illness. Besides, I find her little quirks endearing."

"Little quirks?!" Zuko coughed. "Kuei, she once suggested to my father that he _burn your kingdom to the ground_."

"And you once helped her overthrow me. Am I supposed to hold grudges?" Kuei took a bite from a fruit tart. "Besides, as you told me, she's mentally ill. It's hard to hold things like that against her when she's in an altered state of mind. However I think she's beginning to do some serious self-examination."

"Oh? What makes you say that?"

Kuei put his chopsticks down and leaned back against the cushions. He stared at his food for a moment, formulating his words. "I'm not sure. But I spent a lot of time with her last night and it's just some of the things she said and did. They struck me as odd."

"That's nothing new, Kuei. Azula is the epitome of odd."

At that moment Ursa burst into the kitchen, her eyes red and puffy, her face glowing with emotion. "Oh Zuko, Kuei the two of you have to come quickly. Something miraculous has happened!"

The two rulers shrugged at each other, but followed the Dowager Princess into the royal portrait hall with Bosco lumbering close behind. Right where Firelord Zuko's official portrait had once hung was a picture of a baby balancing on a table, his rosy bum flashing the three onlookers.

Zuko felt his cheeks burn.

"It's a miracle!" Ursa sobbed, her face immersed in her handkerchief. "I thought all of your baby pictures were burned Zuko! I thought Ozai had destroyed them all. But this one survived! It must have been hung by angels!"

"Or one very persistent demon," Zuko muttered and turned on his heels, invigorated by a sudden burst of annoyance and energy.

Kuei was fighting to hide his grin as he trailed Zuko all the way up to Azula's room. .

# # # #

"Azula, you have a boyfriend! This is such a wonderful opportunity for you!" Azula's therapist, Unarqa declared.

A native of the Northern Water Tribe, Unarqa had been hired to reform the Fire Nation Mental Institution and work with Azula. After the Institution made Azula worse Zuko figured she needed a different approach, and Unarqa definitely had that. She was very much into things like Earth Crystals and Moon Spirits, and Auras, although she wasn't as obnoxious about these beliefs as Ty Lee had been. Mostly, she just came across to Azula as a nice old lady.

"You'd be proud of me," Azula declared. "I did the cleansing, just like you suggested!"

"And?"

"I feel much better. I feel unencumbered by the beliefs I had as a child. So the next time I develop a battle strategy, advise political posturing for a nation, or manipulate someone into submission, I won't be looking to my past, because you see that hasn't worked…"

"Clearly."

"I need to look at things for myself and come to my own conclusions, and this perspective will help me to build my grand bison army!" Azula proudly brandished her fist; she didn't seem to notice that a tiny blue flame was dancing at the crest of it. "I will make them rise from the ashes of their near extinction, such that no one will bother them again! Air will be the new fire! Fluff will be the new fear!"

Unarqa pursed her lips and nodded her head a little, considering. "O-K, well, that's a start I suppose! But I really want to use our time to focus on your relationship with the Earth King. How is that going?"

Azula shrank just a little. Her hands fell into her lap, and her eyes looked down at them uncomfortably. She stuck out her lip, and it quivered just a little. "He called me a pet name. He called me," she whispered, "_dearest_. Seriously, when you look at me, is that what you think, _dearest_?" She pointed at herself, her brow furrowed, her lips set in a grimace.

Unarqa smiled. "It doesn't matter what I think Azula. It matters what he thinks, and to him, you are his _dearest_."

"And people say I'm insane," she quipped.

"Azula," her therapist redirected. "Is it really so difficult to believe that someone could love you?"

Azula's eyes fell again and she fidgeted in her bed.

After several moments Unarqa said: "You don't have to answer me if you don't want to Azula. It's just something I want you to think about, and answer for yourself. Later, when you're ready of course."

"AZULA!" Zuko's grumpy shout was unmistakable.

Unarqa rose and bowed shortly to her patient. "We'll finish our session later, Azula." She breezed out the doorway a split second before Zuko stormed in.

He was not happy, and he had many reasons why, which he was not shy about explaining in detail to his sister. Meanwhile Kuei sidestepped Gripeylord and took a seat back in the chair where he'd kept vigil for half the day and evening yesterday. Bosco took a seat at the foot of her bed protectively. He didn't plan on getting aggressive with Zuko but was ready should the need arise.

Unfazed, Azula tilted her head and rested it on her left hand as her brother continued to rant. She reached for Kuei with her right and squeezed his hand slightly.

Kuei understood Zuko's displeasure, but he couldn't help but feel a pang of protectiveness for his misguided girlfriend. Even if she had done all kinds of naughty things, hadn't he participated as well? He was about to say something when Ursa burst into the room and interrupted the Firelord's rant with a scowl.

"Now Zuko, you're so loud I could hear you clear back to the kitchen! You know what the psychiatrist said 'a family centered approach' is what she needs. We all have to be a part of Azula's recovery! How can we all be supportive if we're accusing her of something which is clearly impossible? "

"But mom…"

Princess Ursa cut him off with a wave of her hand, and she dropped a motherly kiss to the top of Azula's head. "Darling if you can muster the strength you should show Kuei the courtyards later. The cherry trees are blooming and its quite lovely outside!"

"I'll try mother, I'm still hurting quite bit," Azula said with deceptively large doe eyes.

"Just enough to get some fresh air, dear. " She winked at Kuei as she exited, leaving the two siblings to hash out their issues.

Azula's lips scrunched up in an innocent pout. "Oh Zuzu! How could I have been out all night, howling at the moon, as you say? Just check my charts," Azula pointed a finger at her medication log, kept at the foot of her bed. "They gave me enough to snow Dominatia last night."

The disgruntled Firelord scowled at his sister. While he was annoyed, on the inside he was counting his blessings. She used to be homicidal; now at least she was just mischievous. "Azula, I wouldn't use your bison for comparison. She's a drunk, and everyone knows it."

Azula shrugged. "Kuei will vouch for me. Won't you, Your Majesty?" Azula leaned into the flustered King, her long lashes batting over her amber eyes sensuously.

Kuei cleared his throat uncomfortably as Azula began to nuzzle him at the neck. "Certainly," he choked. It was the first time he had lied openly for a woman, but the way she was touching him he knew he'd pretty much take a tank round for her at the moment.

The Firelord let out a longsuffering groan and grabbed his temples in frustration. "Ok, number one I don't have time for this, and number two, I can't watch you two make out; it's disgusting. I have to go. I'll check on you later."

Once the stomp of Zuko's footsteps disappeared Azula melted into a puddle of giggles and threw off her blankets. "Oh, that was so much fun!" Azula purred. She planted a quick kiss on Kuei's cheek and jumped out of bed, still wearing her impossibly short sleeping shorts and baggy shirt. She sauntered behind a dressing screen and her sleeping clothes launched from behind it. Her things landed carelessly at Kuei's feet as Azula continued to chatter. "Looking back on it, I'm so glad I didn't manage to kill Zuzu! He's so much more fun alive than he would have been dead!"

Kuei tried not to be too aware of the fact that she was disrobing behind the carved cherry wood. "You're so much cleverer than your poor brother. I can't imagine what childhood was like for him; he is at such a disadvantage!"

Azula peeked at him from behind the screen. He only caught the top half of her face, but he could tell that his remark had her positively beaming. "Your Majesty certainly knows how to flatter a lady."

Kuei wanted to say something back, but her eyes had him frozen right where he was, every part of him, including his tongue. All he could do was smile a smile so dopey and ridiculous he was glad that she ducked back behind the screen to finish dressing.

When she emerged, she was lovely and elegant in a simple crimson dress with gold dragons at the bottom; the flame from their open mouths careened from the soft hemmed skirt to her trim waist. Her makeup was tasteful but accentuating, and a pair of amber earrings glinted amidst the sleek, black waves of her hair. Kuei couldn't help but notice the shimmer in her eyes.

She looked so remarkably exoti,c and the King did have an intense affinity for the exotic and refined. "Shall we see the courtyards now?" Azula asked. "Besides, I need to check on Dominatia. She probably has a hangover."

"As long as we keep the walk short and slow," Kuei agreed. "I don't want you overdoing it again."

# # # #

Kuei let Azula lead the way, walking with her arm in his. The glow and winds of midmorning swirled around them, and now and then a gentle gust would stir a flurry of pink blossoms that fell on the Princess. Kuei had noticed it before, but was reminded that day of her unusual grace. It was easy to see how she had been such an effective and stealthy warrior.

With the cherry blossoms dotting her she also looked deceptively angelic, although Kuei liked to think that something at least partially angelic had been hiding there all along, something which was only starting to emerge but not yet ready to reveal itself to the fullest.

Bosco ran ahead to where his bison friend was waiting for him at the stables. He and Dominatia had really bonded over their torment of the society women at the party, and, according to Kuei, had spent most of Azula's recovery time playing together.

"I wanted to thank you, for helping me and finding my book. Dominatia knew I was trapped, but couldn't fit in the tunnel," Azula looked at him sideways. "But then you came. I'm still amazed that you did, by the way."

Kuei chuckled. "I told you I would."

"Hmm."

"Speaking of the book. Did you get a chance to look at it?"

"Only a few pages," Azula related. "I had just cracked it open when my therapist came in, and then of course you and my brother followed afterwards. I'll look at it again later. It's imperative that I get these bison successfully mated and that book is supposed to have valuable information on how to do that."

As she spoke the two of them approached Dominatia, who was lounging on her side in a bed of hay at the royal stables, a pout on her grew lips. She didn't seem completely miserable, but she obviously wasn't up to soaring through the sky at the moment either.

Bosco was relaxing on the hay across from her, seeming to understand his friend's predicament and content to just rest beside her.

"Well Dominatia, you have no one to blame but yourself for this," Azula said, but she plopped herself down next to her bison and petted the beast's nose compassionately anyway .

Kuei settled down cross legged next to Bosco. "If you don't' mind my asking, why is it so important that you mate these bison so soon? I mean, aren't they all fairly young and in good health?"

"Why I'm going to build a grand bison army of course," Azula shared casually. Like there could be any other reason for breeding bison.

At last Azula's awkwardness gnawed through Kuei's funnybone, and he busted up laughing. "Let me guess, you're building a bison Army so you and I can dominate the earth together?" Kuei guessed cheerfully.

Of course Kuei had meant it as a joke, but Azula favored him with a large grin and unwarranted seriousness. "Now that does sound like fun…but then my doctors would chastise for becoming homicidal and backsliding." Azula rolled her eyes. "Psychiatrists are such killjoys! But to answer your question I'm building a bison army for two reasons: they're endangered as you know…"

"Indeed."

"…And second, I'm employing a strategy called 'show of force.' This strategy requires that you appear strong and your enemy will back down or not think of attacking you in the first place. These ladies were almost destroyed completely and we don't want that to happen again. If they appear very strong, then no one will want to attack them, will they?"

Kuei's laughter melted away. His lips set together, and his brow furrowed in thought. He knew she was talking about the bison, but he couldn't deny the wide applicability of her words and strategy. Then his expression softened, because he realized he now had another excuse to see her, one that would put her in her comfort zone and genuinely benefit him as well. He cleared his throat. "Azula," he asked, "how much time are you required to spend at the temple? Would you be able to come visit me?"

"It will have to wait until after mating season." Azula said. "So not for another month or so."

Kuei nodded in understanding. "I would like your advice concerning my Army. I have no desire to go to war, and I don't' think anyone else does either, but emotions are still running high amidst the nations, and this strategy sounds like a useful deterrent. Could you help me with it?"

Azula cocked an eyebrow at him suggestively. "I thought_ I_ was going to be your deterrent?"

Kuei smiled. "Eventually, but not until the two of us are done behaving like naughty children."

"Well then we'll never get married. You see I always have been a naughty child and I always will be." Azula said factually.

"Your naughtiness isn't a deterrent for me Azula. As you've probably figured out, I like my women a little on the naughty side."

# # # #


	8. Chapter 8

The mischievous couple spent a few more days at the Firelord's palace, but didn't continue to torture Zuzu the same way that they had the night of Azula's arrival. They were out of rockets after all.

Mostly they were having fun just being together. Despite his status, Kuei had very few close friends. He was an awkward sort despite his culture and refinement, and had trouble connecting with people on a deep level. If he were not born a king, he would have been considered the playground nerd and snubbed. General Fong was a good confidant and friend, but he was busy. Kuei had some courtesans in the palace for a while, but he dismissed them after he fell in love with Azula. It didn't seem right to give a woman this kind of attention when his heart belonged to another, even if they were well paid.

Kuei had trouble trusting the rest of his court. He wasn't stupid. He'd heard the rumors and while they varied a little, they all agreed on one thing: he was incompetent. There was even talk of some attempting to assassinate him. Thus, why he connected so well with his bear; he knew he could trust Bosco.

Azula also had trouble connecting with people. She too was socially awkward and easily disliked, but for very different reasons. It wasn't difficult to imagine that some would want to kill her.

Azula was still hesitant to open herself up to the Earth King; like always, complicated things brewed inside of her. But the Earth King was patient and steady. He didn't mind initiating most of the affection between them, and Azula always responded with some hesitation though he could tell that she genuinely enjoyed his touch. She also enjoyed his company more than she could remember enjoying anyone else's, and there was a part of her that truly didn't want to leave him.

They were two little misshapen peas in a mutated pod, and there was something about their chemistry so strange and off that it translated into cute. Their love was like the winner of an ugly dog contest, a dog so ugly it was beautiful.

Eventually to Zuzu and the palace staff's delight, the two had to part ways. Azula had to build her grand bison army after all, and Kuei had to get back to his Kingdom. Azula promised to visit the Earth Kingdom palace once things were straight with her ladies.

When he kissed her goodbye it was like fire, the first she remembered being unable to control.

# # # # #

It took some time, but eventually the ladies did warm up to the idea of mating and eventually becoming mothers. Azula also took it upon herself to get to know the males a little better, and even gave them names.

Jezobel, the timid fawn that she was, would make a good mate for Appa, and Azula knew it would be best to wait until the Avatar arrived. Lillith and a husky male by the name of Avarice were spending time together, and Delilah and Inferno were getting along quite well. All the ladies had paired up, all with the exception of Dominatia.

She became an absolute bear, and not the Bosco kind. Normally a somewhat docile but mischievous therapy animal, Dominatia turned incredibly cranky and disgruntled. Her temper flared at unpredictable moments. Rather than keep company and chatter with Azula, she stayed off in corners by herself, muttering and growling. She rubbed her head raw against the stone cliffs of the temple and nervously bit her nails down to the quick.

Azula had had to file them several times. "You're so miserable because you're in season, Dominatia and you're being stubborn," her Lord reprimanded. "You know Rampage has taken an interest in you," she gestured with her nail file at a steady male with grey spotting on his back. Azula thought his coloring was quite unique and that the pairing of him with Dominatia would make some lovely babies. Presently he stopped a few hundred feet away from them and set down something he'd been carrying in his mouth. He raised his head to regard them both with a large bison grin before he nudged his offering forward with his nose.

"Now isn't that thoughtful? He brought your favorite!" The sake bottle rolled toward Azula's feet. The Bison Lord picked it up and brandished it for Dominatia.

Rather than being delighted, Dominatia fixed Azula with an angry grimace. Her lips curled back ever so slightly and for a few seconds she shook. Then her mouth snapped open and she growled so viciously at Azula that the princess felt her hair blown back from her head.

Azula closed her eyes and put up her hands in defense, but when she opened her eyes again, her beloved bison was gone.

She heard Rampage scuffle the rocks beside her and grumble sympathetically at his Lord.

"I'm fine, thank you," she told the male, panting a little, but Dominatia clearly was not. She stayed out in the plains and the mountains the rest of the day, and it wasn't until later that night that Azula heard her fly in.

But her Lord didn't greet her. Azula gave her her space.

Later that evening, Azula went for the book again. She'd gotten a little advice from it right when she arrived at the temple, but just when she started to delve into its secrets, her other bison had fallen into line. At that time she had shelved it, thinking Dominatia would eventually do the same.

But it was time for more of its wisdom. She started sifting through the back for solutions when a slip of paper fell from the ancient leafs. Azula picked it up.

_Azula,_

_I'm glad you were so nasty to me at breakfast that day. Otherwise, I would have been like this King, who searched forever to find his bride. _

_Thinking of you always,_

_Kuei_.

Azula didn't have the foggiest idea what he was talking about until she saw the legend in the Air Nomad volume. She delved into it, amazed at how similar this Air Nomad Peasant's story was to hers. She too had attended a masked ball and lost a shoe. She too had tried to conceal her identity.

Still, Azula and this lady were very different. The tale wasn't exactly a complex novel full of deep characterization and trial, but the heroine struck Azula as every other typical fairytale-princess-heroine-clone. She was demure, kind, and so sugary sweet she'd either give the reader diabetes or force an epic upchuck by the last page. The only quality Azula shared with this Air Nomad woman was her ability to lie. According to the legend, she had lied about being an Air Nomad Princess, when in reality, she was only a peasant. Unbeknownst to the Fire Lord, the Air Nation didn't have royalty.

What amazed her more was that Kuei thought her worthy of chasing, on the same level as this girl who had clearly not committed any atrocities and was kind through and through.

_I'm glad you were so nasty to me…_

The sweet little thing always got her man. The evil queen received a deserving fate. So which one was Azula?

_I'm glad you were so nasty to me…_

When she couldn't answer her question, Azula's brow knit together in frustration and her lip trembled. Overcome with sudden self-loathing, she slammed the volume shut.

# # # # #

She asked Avatar Aang about the legend. "Have you ever heard of this story, Avatar?" she snarked, haphazardly tossing the book at Aang when he arrived with Appa a few days later.

"Oh, wow the legend of Cin Fa Che! I haven't heard this story since I was a kid!"

"Is it real?" Azula asked pointedly.

Aang shrugged, "Naa, I'm pretty sure it's just a legend. I mean after all, falling in love with a King, losing a shoe, then running away and lying about who you are," he giggle-snorted. "Who does that, _right_?"

Azula's eyes widened, and she force out a laugh so fake and obnoxious it made the one at Chan's party look like a baby's giggle.

Aang scratched his head and looked at her. "Are you OK? I mean, you're not off your meds or anything again are you? 'Cause I can tell Zuko that you need some more."

Azula coughed back her laughter and then waved her hand in dismissal. "Oh, no, Dominatia would have my head if I don't follow doctor's orders. She says I'm unbearable when I don't."

"I can't imagine why," Aang deadpanned, the faintest of smiles on his lips.

Azula looked at him and then busted up laughing. "Oh, good one!" she congratulated. When she stopped laughing she said: "The bison usually go into canyon or plains to mate, Avatar, and they stay gone for a few hours. So you're more than welcome to read over your people's knowledge while you wait, but I'll need that book back when you're done. I'm going to the plains to bend and shoot at clay palls, since I can't use _you_ for a target anymore."

Aang blinked then laughed in spite of himself. "Good one!"

# # # #

Lillith was taking a break from her trysts with Avarice, so she was more than happy to accommodate Azula's need for a clay pall launcher. The large bison bent the clay pieces up into the air and then punted them with couple of gusts of wind from her gigantic tail. Azula's lightning neatly shattered the clay targets and helped her to think.

Usually Dominatia was Azula's targe launcher, but the bison had been very scarce ever since that day when Rampage had tried to win her affections. Azula saw her fly in at night and then lay on her back to sleep, but she was gone in the morning, often right after Azula woke up. Azula didn't try to approach her; she sensed Dominatia needed her space. She just hoped that her therapy pet would come out of it soon.

Azula was about halfway through her shot supply when she saw an Earth Kingdom balloon approaching in the distance. She felt her heart speed up a little, but as it got closer she realized that it wasn't King Kuei. It didn't have the right royal markings.

She stopped shooting for fear she might hit it, but she lit a small bonfire on the top of the plains so the operator would know where she was.

When it docked against the plains a simple man with graying hair and an earnest smile stepped out. Azula thought he looked like a young grandfather. He bowed slightly. "Bison Lord Azula, his Majesty King Kuei wishes you well and sent me to give you this token of his affection." He handed the Bison Lord an object wrapped loosely with green silk.

Azula opened the cloth and let out a little gasp. It was a solid gold necklace crafted into tiny linked cherry blossoms and dotted with dozens of tiny rubies and garnets. Her throat constricted; she'd never gotten a gift from a man before, and it was so beautiful. "It's very fine," she choked out.

"His Majesty wishes you to know that it was crafted for you after he got back from the Fire Nation. It's why it took so long for him to send you a gift. He wanted it made especially for you so you could remember the cherry blossoms."

Azula put the necklace on immediately and bowed with all formality, trying her best to blink back her tears. "Give the Earth King my thanks, and tell him the bison are nearly mated. I should be able to leave the temple in a couple of weeks."

"His Majesty will be pleased to hear it," the messenger said as he climbed back into the balloon.

Azula waved him off, then turned to Lillith. "We should head back down and check on the Avatar."

# # # #

The Bison Lord found Avatar Aang comfortably propped on a bed of temple moss and snoring like mad. The book was carelessly open beside him, his cloak haphazardly flung across him, the tiniest stream of drool draining from his mouth.

Lillith snickered deviously beside Azula, and Jezobel nodded her head in agreement. The latter was in a particularly mischievous and energetic mood after her successful courtship with Appa. The giant male bison, equally sated from his romance, just rolled his eyes at the two females. Appa may not agree with their suggested antics, but he wasn't about to tell his new girlfriend "no."

Neither was Azula. "Oh very well, since you ladies _insist_," and she sent a tiny stream of lightning at Aang's rump.

The Avatar jumped up in alarm, his staff at the ready, his cloak landing beside him. "Who what….?" His eyes fell on Azula's necklace, and suddenly the alarm he felt was replaced with raging curiosity. "Wow! That necklace is gorgeous! Azula where did you get that?!"

Azula straightened with pride. "It's from my boyfriend. A messenger brought it not too long ago. You must have been asleep."

"YOU have a BOYFRIEND?" Aang was slack jawed, but excited nonetheless. "Who is he? You've got to tell me!"

"Absolutely not!" Azula said firmly.

"Well whoever he is, HE'S LOADED! Azula that's the prettiest necklace I've ever seen and I'm engagement shopping for my girlfriend right now! Seriously, who is he?"

Azula's eyes narrowed. "I'll never tell! Besides, it's not serious."

"NOT SERIOUS!?" Aang exclaimed. "Once again, are you OFF YOUR MEDS, Azula?! In some cultures accepting a necklace is agreeing to an engagement!"

Azula fidgeted. Kuei had said something about them being engaged, several times in fact, but there was a part of Azula that still couldn't believe Kuei would want to take it that far. "Well, how am I supposed to know that?" she said defensively. "It's not like that little Water Tribe Wench of yours shares anything with me other than daggers."

Aang face palmed and let out a breath. "Ok, you don't want to talk to me about it. I respect that. Just do this guy a favor and figure out where you stand before you really break his heart, OK?"

"Break his heart?" Azula choked. Her face fell. She hadn't thought about that.

Aang shook his head as he climbed up on Appa. "Azula, take it from another guy. Men don't give women presents like that unless they're really in love." Then he ordered Appa skyward and they descended into the twilight, leaving Azula still blustering with her thoughts.

# # # #


	9. Chapter 9

**So this is kind of a short chapter, but it gets a little heavy emotionally. I thought it best to break up what's about to happen in shorter increments. **

Avatar Aang thought Azula was just leading her suitor on, but he couldn't be more off the mark. Azula wasn't leading Kuei on; in fact, that was what _Azula believed_ about Kuei. Kuei was having fun with her, playing with her, enjoying her. Of all of her faults, Azula did pride herself on being lot of fun; who didn't like to be naughty from time to time? Most of her believed that he would tire in time and move on. Honestly, what else could it be? She scared all the children she'd ever met, so she assumed she would make a horrid mother. She disliked animals until Dominatia came into her life and flat out refused to leave. She wasn't sweet. She wasn't benevolent. She wasn't much of anything other than someone he could torment the Firelord with. At least, that was what she thought of herself.

_I'm glad you were so nasty to me that day…_

Azula shook her head as the line replayed through her head. Once again, she was full of unresolved energy and found herself climbing the temple to the plains above for bending, for release.

The light was fading, but that was always of little concern to a firebender. Instead of aiming at clay shots, Azula just wanted to deflect her confusion and fear into the clouds. She took up a stance and directed her blue streams into the heavens. The beautiful shards darted and danced erratically amidst the darkening sky.

_Azula take it from another guy, a man doesn't give a woman a necklace like that unless he's really in love.__…_

Azula whirled and used two fists this time, all of her frustration and confusion draining from her. The lightning snaked across the sky, jerking and weaving as far as the eye could see. It literally turned the dark heavens purple, and for a moment Azula received the rare reminder of just what beautiful work she was capable of. She smiled, watching the light flash and then fade. Just as the last bit of illumination died out, she heard a bellow behind her and the sound of gravel scuffing across the earth.

Azula turned.

It was Dominatia.

For a long time, the two just looked at each other, their stare frozen and locked like two statues glaring across a courtyard. Azula saw Dominatia's eyes focus on her necklace; the bison cocked her head and warbled inquisitively.

Azula's hand crested the gift. "It is from him," she confirmed after some time, a light smile painting her lips. Even as she spoke and felt the necklace there was a small hint of disbelief there, but she couldn't deny the weight of it, or the fact that Avatar Aang had an insatiable habit for honesty.

Dominatia warbled again.

"Yes, I know what it means in some cultures, Dominatia," Azula was a little disgruntled that her bison remembered this sooner than she had, but she made an effort to stomp down her displeasure "and no I'm not giving it back." Several beats of silence passed between them during which a light rain began to fall. When Azula was halfway soaked she spoke again. "Look, Dominatia, you don't have to do anything you don't want to, but I'd like it if you stay here with me a while. I'll put on a lightning show just for you. What do you say?"

Dominatia licked her nose and sat down on her back four legs. She gave a slight nod of acceptance. The bison had always liked her mistress' lightning shows. She was the first one not scared by them. In the early days of their relationship, when Azula had tried to shoo her away with her bending prowess, Dominatia had only grown clingier.

That's when Avatar Aang had laughed at her and said: "Azula, that bison's not going anywhere! You're going to have to learn to live with her."

Now Azula didn't want to live without her.

Azula repeated the movements that had illuminated the night sky, adding to the spectacle above, not caring that she was getting soaked to the bone, or that her robes were clinging to her like a second skin. Her designs across the heavens turned, twisted, and formed elaborate, breathtaking patterns, taking her bending skill to new artistic heights. The cold rain was cathartic, invigorating and cleansing, spiritually, physically. It bore a sharp and welcome contrast to the breath of fire draining into the clouds. It chilled the right things in her, it chipped away at others. She'd spent so much of her life entrenched in fire she didn't know those places inside of her existed, or perhaps it had been more convenient to ignore them altogether.

Dominatia continued to watch her, also not caring that her coat was growing heavy from the water's weight. She didn't much care what she looked like these days.

Much to her chagrin neither did that damned male chasing her. Dominatia knew he was close by, so it didn't surprise her when a particularly bright display of Azula's revealed his spotted figure walking toward her in the distance.

Dominatia thought Rampage awkward, but earnest. It wasn't that she hated or even disliked him. Overall she thought him a good and decent bison. The problem was with her: she just wasn't _sure_ of so many things. She told him this at last.

He bellowed back that neither was he, with the exception of one thing. He rolled the sake bottle toward her again.

This time, Dominatia accepted it.

Not long afterward the two bison dove into the temple shelf togethe,r and Rampage winked his thanks at Azula as they passed below.

Azula stopped bending to watch the couple disappear, not caring that she was abandoned up there in the rain and the darkness getting soaked to the bone. Nature wasn't fazing her; in fact there was something about its anger she found healing. She raised her face to the heavens and ran her hands through her hair, enjoying the cold, acrid sting on her skin. Throwing her head back and her arms up, she burst into a cascade of half tears and laughter, an insane melody that echoed off the cliffs and tinkered amidst the storm. Then she began to whirl; she spun and spun and spun until she was too dizzy and exhausted to continue, and she fell upon the sodden earth, still laughing and crying, her clothes and hair an absolute mess. A mess just like her.

# # # #

The plains about her were still, unearthly so. Usually there was at least a slight breeze blowing across the grasslands and through the canyon where the temple sat in its cliff-guarded niche. But not today. The grass was still, the sky gray and overcast, and yet tinted with a strange hint of orange. There was an odd sense of foreboding, like the calm before a tornado or hurricane, like the feeling in the air she got just before squalls at sea.

She stood, walking about on the plains. She whistled for Dominatia or the others, but they weren't around. It was very strange, even for mating season. Usually at least a couple of the bison was taking a break.

Azula got the sense that something was off. She turned toward the cliff to begin her long climb downward when Pie Chen suddenly appeared, significantly more materialized than the other times Azula had seen her; her hair even blew in the wind. The spirit smiled, and Azula noted she looked a little sad.

"You'd be proud of me," Azula said. "The book was helpful. I got the bison to mate, even Dominatia. It seems they won't die off after all."

The spirit clasped her hands together. "I'm glad," Pei Chen replied, but the tone of her voice betrayed her words. Azula thought she would cry if she were still flesh and blood. "But something's wrong. You need to leave the temple, as soon you can. "

"Why?"

Pei Chen seemed to shrink, her form suddenly growing dimmer, as though something were draining her. "Because I can't hold him off forever."

A shiver ran through Azula "Who?"she asked, and Pei Chen opened her mouth, but instead of the spirits' soft voice, the bellow of a sky bison rumbled from her.

# # # # #

The unearthly sky and spirit faded. Azula opened her eyes to a normal summer day and a very cross sky bison glowering down at her. The bison's bellow held equal notes of displeasure.

The Bison Lord groaned as she righted herself. Her head was pounding, her throat was sore, and she was trembling violently, from fever or cold Azula couldn't tell. "I stayed out here all night?" Azula squeaked, looking about that the plains, which still had little puddles dotting the grasslands.

Dominatia face-palmed, then growled: "YES!"

Azula groaned again. "I had a strange dream."

The Bison Lord stood, but she was too unsteady for Dominatia's taste. The bison nudged her up on her giant head, and when she was secure enough, she flew Azula to the temple shelf.

She settled down in her usual sleeping spot and gathered Azula against her belly, stubbornly refusing to let her out of her grasp, just like the first time they met.

After eating a light breakfast brought to them by Rampage, Azula drifted off again, still trembling despite the warmth of her therapy bison's coat.


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry about the slow updates. I started a new job.**

**At any rate If you've ever wondered what happens when a schizophrenic goes off their medication, wonder no more. You're about to find out. Again, this is a K+ rated story, but just know in real life it can be a lot worse than this.**

**Also, there is a spiritual aspect going on here. It's your job to figure out which. What is a hallucination/part of her disease? What is brought on by an evil spirit**?

**Oh and if you're wondering about Madame June's nightclub, just read Avatar Aang's Big Bachelor Bang, also being updated currently my moi. Just, proceed with caution people because that one is rated M. **

"Dominatia, do you think I should send Jezobel on to be with Avatar Aang?" Azula coughed from her bed.

Dominatia's large eye looked at Azula through the glassless window of her stateroom. Azula had contracted a nasty case of bronchitis along with a temperamental stomach virus after falling asleep on the plains. As a result, the princess hadn't done much the past few days, except cough, lie in bed, and vomit. Yesterday she had stopped puking enough to make a brief appearance and congratulate her ladies on their proper conduct during mating season. During that time she'd noticed that Jezobel was alone near the edge of the cliff, her face tucked between her two front legs.

Avatar Aang was too busy to stay at the temple, but according to the book, paired bison should spend a minimum of three weeks together. He had meant to return after a short stop over at Zuzu's, but business in the Fire Nation had kept the Avatar there unexpectedly. She'd gotten a hawk day before yesterday explaining that some pompous dignitaries from the Northern Water Tribe were giving her brother all kinds of fits, and Aang had had to intervene a little more than previously thought. Azula had half a mind to mount Dominatia, and sick or not rattle those dignitaries with a little persuasive illumination.

She would have too, had Dominatia not flat out refused the idea. Azula was too drained from her illness to fight her on the issue, so she'd slumped back into bed and fallen asleep instead. That had been two days ago. Now the problem of Jezobel was presenting itself again in Azula's mind. She'd caught a glimpse of her this morning after throwing up in her chamber pot and exiting her room to dump the vomit off the cliff. The demure little lady was very alone and looking at the sky, as though she were expecting someone or wanting to see someone.

Dominatia warbled that she rather liked the idea of sending Jezobel off to be with Appa.

"Very well," Azula said, "wait a minute while I write the Avatar and Zuzu a note." Aula took a few deep breaths, summoning the energy to move. At last she sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She grabbed for the post as splotches of black and white flashed before her eyes.

Dominatia growled at her.

"Yes, yes I'm going slowly! Can't you see me?" True to her word she stumbled slowly towards her dresser and slumped against it, knocking half of its items onto the floor. But the pen and paper she was able to grasp. Her handwriting was messy but she was able to get her point across:

_Brotherlord Zuzu and Avatar Aang,_

_I am sending Jezobel to you, along with Delilah and Inferno. According to the book mated bison should not be separated for a period of three weeks, or it is unlikely the female will conceive (Something about emotional trauma, whatever that means). Therefore, Jezobel should be with Appa. Perhaps that Water Tribe peasant of Aang's can ride her around; Jezobel would certainly do wonders for her anger issues._

_At any rate, Zuzu, please welcome these bison I am sending you. I am ill presently at the temple and will likely head for the Earth Kingdom once I am able. I will send you a hawk when I arrive safely and then when I return to the temple._

_Azula_

Dominatia summoned Jezobel when Azula finished writing. The Bison Lord had just enough energy left in her to tie the note to Jezobel's horn through the window. This done, Azula fell back against her bed, panting with exertion.

Jezobel looked at her, mewling a little.

"What are you waiting for?" Azula gasped, her diaphoretic brow set with aggravation. "To the Fire Nation palace with you! Delilah and Inferno will accompany you there."

Jezobel protested again, but Delilah and Inferno's impatient bellows at the cliff got her moving.

Dominatia waved the three of them off with her tail, then turned back to check on her Lord.

Azula was lying motionless on the bed, a little stream of drool trickling from her lips; she looked unusually pale and sweaty. The therapy bison couldn't tell whether she had passed out or merely fallen asleep. Rampage came beside Dominatia and smiled at her supportively. The two of them began to discuss their Lord's predicament. Lillith and her beau joined soon after the conversation started.

The four bison agreed that Azula wasn't getting any better. Her ability to hold food down had been sporadic at best, and Dominatia couldn't remember the last time she hadn't puked up her anti-psychotics. The bison feared Azula would start hallucinating again soon, which was what happened the last time she went off her psychiatric medication on a whim.

Lillith thought it best to take her to the Fire Nation palace again, but Dominatia firmly rejected the idea. Dominatia bellowed, rather adamantly, that the Fire Nation had outdated guidelines when it came to treating acute psychosis. They liked to straight-jacketed the acutely mentally ill, which only made it worse. The Earth Kingdom didn't do that.

# # # # #

Kuei looked out the window at his garden. The dogwood trees were in bloom, their white petals soft in the evening light. True, they weren't the same species of tree that he'd walked through with Azula those last few days in the Fire Nation, but they were similar enough that they reminded him of them, and more importantly her.

He'd thought of the elaborate necklace after arriving home from the Fire Nation and immediately set the town craftsmen working on it. He never told them who it was for. Only his closest confidants knew he was dating the surly Fire Nation Native, and he wanted to keep it that way, at least for the time being.

But the rumors were definitely flying around the Earth Kingdom. He had dismissed his courtesans for one thing, and they accepted jobs at Madame June's after this. The stately gentleman's club outside of Ba Sing Se was a gossip mill, and it didn't take long for most of the Earth Kingdom to learn that Kuei had fallen in love with some "mystery woman."

Who she was or where she came from was anyone's guess.

Then there were the four craftsmen who had worked on the elaborate necklace for over two weeks. It was rare they got such a detailed and costly order. Their own suspicions branched to other patrons and the Earthbending miners who supplied their materials. One of the miners was a merchant who frequented the Northern Water Tribe and declared that the King was "probably engaged." Of course, that news had spread faster than Ozai's little burn notice during Sozin's comet.

Kuei did nothing to refute or encourage the rumors. He repeated "no comment" over and over again to his press advisor at the palace. But just because he chose to keep his people in the dark didn't mean that he hoped that Azula wouldn't get the message behind the elaborate piece. He knew he was being very subtle, but thought that a good approach for the time being.

So had Dr. Ping. "She is very uncomfortable with human interaction, Your Majesty. Proceed with love by all means; just make sure you do it very slowly and with an awful lot of caution. Remember, she will need her space."

Kuei understood the need for such an approach, but he was growing impatient. He wanted to see her again. When he was with her, he not only experienced feelings of love, he truly felt alive. He could let go, be uninhibited, and she never once judged him for it. He knew Azula never would. How could she? She was crazier than a belfry of wolfbats, and she knew it. In fact she seemed to have embraced her abject psychosis with open arms. She was almost meticulous about her management of her schizophrenia. Kuei suspected that Dominatia was to blame for that.

# # # #

Azula sat bold upright, only half aware of the sweat sleeking her skin and the wild fever permeating her flesh. She felt disconnected from her body somehow, as though she were a ghost hanging onto her earthly form by a thread, or perhaps even floating freely away from it.

There was a strange silver glow about the land luring her, compelling her to rise, filling her with a strength she hadn't had in days. But it was a sinister sort of strength, like when you wake up, suspecting danger, but have to get out of bed to confirm or discount that fact.

She felt the earth shift slightly beneath her feet and realized she was walking on sand. There was a body of water before her. It was a lake, the stillest she'd ever seen. The silver sheath of water beckoned her, the moonlight streaking its glassy surface. The water was remarkably still, the environment devoid of sound, as though her ears were sealed in a vacuum.

She wasn't sure how she got to the place, or even if it were real. The force compelling her was both a physical and spiritual pull that brought her to the water's edge and then suddenly let her go. Azula half fell at the banks of the lake. She certainly didn't give her legs the command to fold and yet somehow they did; then she was left there, staring at her reflection. Strangely, it was without color; everything about her was black and white with a few shades of gray in between, including herself. Her lips seemed a dark black, as did the circles below her eyes. The whites of her eyes encircled her coal black pupils. Her irisis, normally amber, shone a stilted gray.

She closed her eyes and took a breath for some clarity, but when opened them again, the image was no longer shades of black and white, but varying hues of red. She looked away and lifted one hand from the water; rivulets of blood leeched from a long gash painting the length of her arm. She couldn't remember where she had gotten it or when. It didn't even hurt, and she watched with perplex ion, not alarm, as a small river of blood spilled into the red lake before her. As she was wondering about the cut, a force re-exerted itself; only this time it pulled her straight down.

Azula opened her mouth to scream as her body was pulled into the water. The bloody lake rose up to her neck, then her mouth, and finally the garnet depths covered her head. She clawed against the liquid, trying to swim upward, but every strike she made against the surrounding water was ineffective. The oxygen was draining from her body, her lungs were about to explode. She knew she was being swallowed, that soon she would be dying, and there was nothing she could do about it. She was about to black out when she felt a tug at her neck, and a second later she was suspended above the now rippling lake.

At that moment, the sound and color returned to the world. The lake flashed blue, the shore a sandy brown, and Dominatia's fur was an angelic white that surrounded her, lifting her up from the darkness.

A moment later she was on the beach and sprawled on her stomach with Dominatia's giant paw thwacking her soundly on her back, forcing her to vomit the lake water. Then the beast's nose nudged her onto her side. The three others formed a protective triangle around them.

Azula panted into her therapy bison and tightened her grip around Dominatia's paw. She heard Rampage snarling beside them.

She looked up to see the male bearing his teeth viciously at nothing. He was turned toward the lake.


	11. Chapter 11

**Once again Madame June and her Gentlemen's Club makes an appearance. So…if you don't know what a gentleman's club/brothel is, my K plus explanation is as follows: it's a place where men go to be entertained by pretty women. And the women get paid to entertain them. Don't Google it, PLEASE. **

**Also, if I am going to redeem Azula , who by the way is an evil homicidal b #$ through most of the show, I am going to make her go through hell first. And uncontrolled schizophrenia, at its worst, can be a living hell. Again, we're K plus, but I am trying to paint as honest a portrait as I can of this, given my limitations. **

**On with the story. **

After the lake incident, Azula's perception of the world normalized long enough for Dominatia to explain that they had just reached the inland Earth Kingdom. The four bison that remained were taking Azula to King Kuei and his court. They were about three to four days journey from Ba Sing Se.

After hearing that Azula had touched her forehead to Dominatia's nose and whispered her thanks. Despite being together over two years, it was one of the more tender moments they had shared. Azula knew she needed help, and she couldn't think of a better person to render her aide than the King who loved her in spite of her being a fabulous psychiatric case study. Still she wasn't sure she would have had the strength to start the journey without her bison physically forcing her.

As their travels went on Azula tried again and again to force down her medication, to no avail. Her bronchitis had lifted, but her stomach flu, while improving somewhat, refused to vanish. Her stomach turned, and constant flying didn't help her predicament. If she was lucky she could get half a cup of soup and perhaps one dose down, but it was not enough to temper her schizophrenia. Her hallucinations, both auditory and visual, raged within her diseased mind. She tried to discredit the assault on her with logic, studying her hallucinations with meticulous dedication.

Mother returned, but Azula noticed that she seemed disconnected. Ursa ranted about benign things: Azula's hair, how she should take up the violin or bake cookies with her next Friday, and various other etc. that really made no sense whatsoever. Logically Azula also knew that mother was savoring tea and crumpets with Zuzu, so this hallucination was easily ignored.

Despite her scholarly review of her condition, mother was the only appearance she could discredit completely. They were far more hallucinations than princess Ursa, far more disturbing ones. She started to see shadows flit in and out of the corner of her eyes. They crept under her bison, darting across the earth as they stalked her. At one point she swore that her own shadow disconnected from her feet and waved at her. And there were voices too, deep voices; sometimes they were muffled, at other times clear and calm. They would converse with each other, low and plotting. Sometimes they would speak directly to their tortured vessel Azula herself. Still, on other occasions the voices screamed as though reacting to something horrific, or perhaps echoing something from the past. On occasion they would laugh. Azula was convinced they were laughing at her and that the whole world was.

One voice, a male one, seemed to rise above the rest. He kept beckoning her to _rule the world_. Azula thought that he sounded very familiar, although it took her several days to place it. After some time, and to her abject horror, Azula recognized the voice. She had heard it once before. Sozin.

When the voices intensified the color would fade in and out of the world. It would be black and white one minute, then varying shades of red the next. She sometimes got the feeling that her soul was leaving her body, or perhaps even that her soul _had_ left her body and she was a part of the insanity that was tormenting her. She was contributing to it just as much as the hallucinations and the voices.

Her body also felt strange, at times unreal, at times just uncomfortable, but it was an odd sensation of discomfort. Her skin felt thick and tingly, as though there were bugs crawling, living just below the surface. One time she swore she actually saw the porcelain epidermis shift, as though something were moving beneath her skin. She clawed at the figment, impervious to the pain she caused herself or the welt she was creating. One time she dug so much that she imagined peeling her skin away, revealing the red muscle and white bone beneath. When she looked a second later, the skin was intact, unharmed.

During one such occasion, Dominatia caught her. The bison had slapped her to the ground and proceeded to lick her on the arm. Strangely, after the weld closed up with Dominatia's help, Azula had no memory of her self-mutilation, despite the lingering evidence below her long sleeve blouse.

Flights of ideas entered her head, disturbing thoughts, thoughts of jumping off her bison, of testing her flesh to see if it would bleed, to see if she were real, if her bison were real. She doubted the veracity of everything, the air, the earth, the softness of her bison's fur. She drifted in and out of clarity, and in and out of reality.

And then, one night she had been flying on Dominatia when the most detailed hallucination she had ever seen appeared: a man riding on the back of a blue dragon. Azula thought he was dressed as a Fire Nation soldier, but it was hard to tell in the dark. She was still trying to figure out who he was when he loosed a harpoon into Rampage. She heard the bison scream, saw the blood gush out of his neck and then watched the rider dive straight down. Rampage fell quickly after him, screaming as he spiraled to his death.

Azula didn't even think. Rage consumed her. She dove headlong into the earth below, dismissing all logic and forgetting her fragile condition entirely. She honed in on the dragon rider, charging the breath of fire within her, caring not that death was only seconds away. She had him in her sights, she had clear shot, and she fired. He turned his head just as the light flashed in front of him, and then through him. Sozin.

Azula's heart stopped. The dragon rider vanished, and in his stead was the earth, hard, unforgiving and rapidly approaching.

Seconds before impact, Dominatia caught the scruff of Azula's neck and the two of them tumbled to the earth, shaken but safe.

The other bison landed a moment later, watching with perplexed gazes as Dominatia pinned a squirming Azula and grumbled in frustration. Dominatia always won their wrestling matches, always until today. Azula's hysterical state empowered the princess with inhuman strength, and Dominatia was actually struggling to contain her.

Rampage came to Domiantia's aide. He placed a paw on her back and bellowed his own soothing chortles at his psychotic Lord.

Azula looked up to see who was pinning her, and even in the dark she recognized Rampage's beautiful markings. Her eyes darted to his neck, then the length of his fur, searching for blood, a harpoon mark, any evidence of his altercation with the dragon rider.

There was none, and he was fine.

Azula, however, was not.

# # # #

Faced with Azula's escalating psychosis, the four bison made a unanimous call: No breaks till Ba Sing Se. They raided a tea leaf farm of its caffeinated goodness, and thus appropriately charged, flew for the walled city. About twenty four hours later the four bison and their ailing Lord landed in a clearing a few miles outside of Ba Sing Se. It was noon when the small herd finally touched down, exhausted.

"Why are we stopping here?" Azula complained.

Dominatia was quick to explain.

"So nice of you to put it gently, Dominatia. _I look like hell indeed_! I've been sick! Do you honestly think you'll look any better when you get sick?!"

The bison rolled her eyes and grumbled defensively. Lillith also chimed into the conversation, defending Dominatia's actions

"Well, of course I appreciate your honesty, ladies," Azula continued, reaching for a mirror from her bag. "It's just that…AHHH!" Azula screamed, dropping the mirror. She looked up at her bison, wide eyed and horrified. "Oh that was worse than my last hallucination! Dominatia," she sobbed, "when you're right, you're right! I'm so dirty and disgusting I don't even recognize myself! I can't let the King see me like this!"

Avarice snorted his version of 'relax, we've thought of everything' and gestured through the trees with his paw.

Rampage shoved a coin purse at Azula and also nodded approval. His toothy grin suggested that he was especially proud of himself.

Azula shrugged. "Fine, I'll have a look at this place you're so sure the King would never frequent."

Azula poked her head through the bushes. Out in the distance was a three story wooden pagoda with swaying colorgul lamps and a few elaborately dressed ladies with fans and far too much eye makeup seated in the wide porch. A few Ostrich horses were tied outside. Scores of men were going in and out the large wooden doors even though it was only noon. A sign was posted: _Dancing Dragon Gentleman's Club and Hotel._

The Bison Lord backed through the bushes, _slowly_. She turned and looked at the bison, who were all lined up and grinning, waiting for her approval.

Azula cleared her throat. "Dominatia, you brought me to a _brothel _to _get cleaned up_?"

Dominatia snorted an affirmation.

There was a pause. Azula set her lips together, considering. "Dominatia,"she said calmly, "we'll discuss your sense of _logic _and_ irony_ after I am presentable. "

The bison snorted that she would wait for her in the trees and then rolled over on her back. Rampage rolled over and cuddled beside her. Lillith and her beau followed suit. Within a few minutes they were snoring, enjoying a well-deserved nap.

Taking her purse Azula snaked through the brush and walked purposefully to the club. She immediately drew the attention of the girls; they looked at her with surprise and concern as she approached.

A dark haired woman in a green and brown sequin dress with a belt-hitched whip came through the doors. She let out a low whistle as Azula approached. She once-overed the Bison Lord, taking in her tattered clothes, soiled face, and wild eyes. "You look like you've had a rough time, sweetheart. If you need a job I got a couple openings."

Azula cringed. "No I'm not poor, just crazy," and to prove it she showed June her purse. "I need some clothes, something to eat, and somewhere to get cleaned up. I assume you have all of these things?"

June focused in on the money. "Long as you pay me honey I can get you whatever you want. You want a room for the night or just long enough to feel human again?"

"The second one please."

"No problem," June turned and shouted over her shoulder. "Mila! Kila!"

A moment later two scantily clad Water Tribe girls appeared. For a second Azula thought she was hallucinating and seeing double, but realized that no, they were just identical twins.

"Don't shout, June, its sooo early!" Mila said, rubbing her eyes.

June frowned. "It's noon."

"Noon IS early!" Kila whined, "Besides we were _entertaining, _last night, remember?" The two of them giggled despite their hangover.

"That reminds me, you haven't ponied up my cut yet," June pointed out sourly.

Mila pouted and plopped a large wad of cash into June's gloved palm. "Now that's better," the Madame purred. "Anyway ladies I have an easy project for you. You can handle this even with a hangover." She gestured at Azula with her whip.

The disheveled Bison Lord smiled awkwardly at the Water Tribe Courtesans who gasped in unison.

"It seems our friend is having a bad day. Make her day better. Take her to a room and draw her a bath. Get her some clean clothes and something to eat. Shoot she can take a nap if she wants." June focused in on Azula "Three hours tops, honey or else you got to pay the nightly rate. Understand?"

Azula nodded as the two Water Tribe girls led her off to a standard room on one of the lower floors.

# # # # #

The room was nothing spectacular, but it was clean and smelled of sandalwood and moonpeaches. It had a queen bed with a small table and chairs, but the porcelain claw foot tub was large and spacious and secluded by an elegant mahogany screen. That was what Azula was really interested in, a bath. She looked like an absolute street person and if she sniffed hard enough she could smell herself. Her clothes had taken on an uncharacteristic stiffness.

Mila and Kila were obnoxious, but at least they were pleasant and caring morons. They were also very efficient, which Azula liked. Being waterbenders, they easily filled the tub, and when Kila complained that it was too cold Azula immediately silenced them with a dancing blue flame in the palm of her hand. "The temperature won't be a problem, ladies" she explained.

The girls then laid out a plush cotton robe and two equally plush towels for her. Kila dug in one of the cupboards for some hygiene supplies while Mila started to help Azula disrobe. "So what happened to you?" she asked.

"I'm suffering from an acute exacerbation of my paranoid schizophrenia secondary to my inability to maintain adequate levels of antipsychotic pharmacotherapy in my body," Azula explained. Yeah, by this time she had read too many of her medical charts.

The two twins stopped what they were doing and stared at her blankly. Azula had heard of such women but never really seen them, although Ty Lee had come close. It's like the last sentence had caused their brains to crash in unison. She was sure at some point she heard crickets chirping outside.

The princess sighed. "I've been puking up my crazy drugs, so now my crazy is out of control," she tried instead.

"OHHH!" Realization and a brain reboot occurred to both twins in unison. They began to chatter again.

"My cousin had that…well not quite that. It was called, Border, Barber, Begger….Oh darn it's something with a B. At any rate, she's REALLY crazy," Mila jabbered as she helped Azula disrobe "One minute she's happy…. the next she's in tears. And every once in a while she takes a knife and she…." Mila gasped, her hands over her face, a fearful look in her eyes.

Kila stopped filling up the tub and ran to Mila's side. She too cupped her hands over her mouth.

"What?!" Azula snarked, but then she followed their gaze. Three long gashes painted the length of both arms. They were red, raised and somewhat undecided as to whether or not to become infected.

Azula gasped. "I don't remember….I mean I didn't…"

The three girls stood there in silence. After sometime Kila spoke: "You should get cleaned up. Those could get ugly. We'll be by with some clothes in a half hour, dinner in an hour."

"Just don't hurt yourself, ok?" Mila added.

"I won't," Azula nodded. "Thank you," she whispered as the courtesans closed the door behind her.

# # # #

The lukewarm tub was like a breath of fresh air. She submersed herself into it fully, enjoying the cleansing it brought her. She lathered up quickly to take the reflective sheen off of the bath and fill it with bubbles. She'd had enough experience with water and hallucinations; as long as the bubbles were on the surface, it was less likely she would see anything untoward.

Alas, the voices continued. There wasn't much she could do about those. _"Azula, you can't change what you are," _it said over and over again. _"You can't change what you are." _

Azula lathered her hair and started to hum. She wasn't a first rate singer but she was hoping her off-tone melody would drown out the voice of Sozin. She'd heard him before and she didn't care to hear him again. However, she knew stopping up her ears would be a pointless exercise. Auditory hallucinations came from within, not without. She was about halfway through her hair cleansing when she heard it again _"Azula you are Fire Nation; complete what I couldn't. You know you could rule the world…."_

She hummed louder and got out of the tub. She dried herself with one towel and wrapped her hair in another. She took the towel off to exchange it for the robe, but when she picked it up, she found it heavy, like a sopping wet cloth. Perplexed she hoisted it off the bed, and gasped, finding its under side red and dripping with blood. Several scorpions crawled out from under the robe, scurrying across her feet. They stung her toes before climbing the walls, walls from which rivulets of blood now dripped. The whole bed was now crimson and glistening, and the tub where Azula had cleansed only moments earlier frothed a rabid garnet.

_AZULA_ There it was again. This time, it sounded like a growl.

There were mirrors behind her. She wouldn't turn. She couldn't. Not again. It was better to stare at the blood soaked walls and bed, better to smell the acrid metallic scent of the lifeforce painting the room about her.

_Rule the world Azula…_

Azula shut her eyes, breathing deeply. She searched her mind for memory of a mantra, or therapy that would help her with a situation like this.

Timing and a loud knock at the door saved her instead. "Honey," she heard the harlots say, "you OK?"

Azula opened her eyes. The blood was gone, along with the nightmare. The room was just a room again: benign and inviting. Mila and Kila were smiling idiotically at the door. They stepped through holding an elaborate blue dress and accessories.

"We've got the solution for your crazy marks!" they said in unison. The door to the hallway was still open and people were walking by outside. Their voices were far too loud, but patient privacy laws didn't exist in the Earth Kingdom, and even if they had, Azula wouldn't have cared.

She had never been happier to see idiotic women in her life, and she was unusually kind and welcoming to them as a result.

The twin's solution for Azula's crazy marks was to dress like a Water Tribe coutesan, since Water Tribe people liked to wrap their forearms with soft blue leather strips, no matter what their dress. And a courtesan? Well, the girl's wardrobe was pretty much limited to the impractical but profitable.

Mila and Kila did a quick heal on her forearms which managed to make them look less angry and likely to be infected but didn't heal them completely. "Sorry,we're not very good," Kila apologized.

"Yeah, we're used to using our waterbending for…_other things,_" Their ridiculous giggling resumed, but to make up for it they got to dressing Azula right away. They wrapped her injured arms in the soft leather traditional gauntlets and then slipped her into a stunning but revealing crush blue velvet dress. They brushed her wet matted hair and started braiding the front of it into a tight, elaborate weave. They gathered her bangs into a sleek black plait that cascaded seductively over her right eye. The back of her hair they left long and flowing. They clipped an elaborate hair piece made of blue dyed ostrich horse feathers and sparkling faux pearls and sequins into the back of her hair. They also fit Azula with a pair of faux pearl earrings and were about to give her a necklace when they stopped.

"Wow!" they gasped in unison.

Azula's hand instinctively flew to her neck. She breathed a sigh of relief when her fingers touched the gold, knowing that she hadn't lost the King's present in the midst of her insanity.

"Who are you engaged to?" Mila asked

"Yeah, like, WHO?" Kila was beside herself with excitement.

Azula smiled in spite of herself. "I don't know for certain that I'm engaged. He just…sent me this."

The twins were positively giddy. Their diarrhea of the mouth became explosive at that point. Their tongues drolled a long and extensive explanation of Northern Water Tribe engagement customs, of which Azula had heard of but was not extremely famliar. Then they began to elaborate on how engagements varied in other parts of the world. They squealed, giggled, and completed each others sentences for a full five minutes as they worked on her makeup. Finally they asked Azula "Where is he from?"

"Yeah where is he from?"

Azula's gaze darted. She was hesitant to reveal too much. "Ba Sing Se."

The twins squealed in unison. "You could _totally_ be engaged."

"Yeah, you totally could be!" Mila exclaimed.

"Really?" Azula whispered.

"Well of course!" Mila said. "In the Earth Kingdom, engagements vary quite a bit. Some guys use rings, others use necklaces. It really depends on the guy!"

They spun her around to where the mirrors were.

Azula shut her eyes tightly, resistant.

"Look at yourself silly," Kila raved, nudging her in the shoulder.

"Its just a mirror, right?" Azula asked. Although 'just mirrors' were exactly what had given her such trouble in the past.

"Of course," Mila said,"And if it makes you crazy we'll smash it and blame it on a customer!"

Azula took a breath, then opened one eye, then another. She gasped.

The dress they selected for her was nothing that Azula would have chosen on her own, no more than she would have ever considered dressing Water Tribe. However, she looked stunning in both the color and the style! She seemed provocative and powerful at the same time, but not in a dangerous way, in a very strong and uniquely feminine way. Like the winner of a beauty pageant or the bell of a ball, or a King's favorite entertainer.

Mila and Kila saw her reaction and positively beamed. Kila leaned in to whisper "Well if you aren't engaged now, you will be when he sees you!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Please read my author's note at the end. I was going to put it up here but figured it would ruin the chapter for you so I didn't.**

The twins brought Azula's dirty clothes to housekeeping for laundering, then led Azula into the main floor of the club. Azula wasn't impressed with much, but this place was definitely something to behold. The club was made entirely of dark stained wood, which allowed for low, relaxing lighting provided by colorful lanterns, sconces, and a grand bronze chandelier swaying gently in the center of the hotel. The floored hotel wound several times around the drop ceiling in which the large fixture played, allowing for a dramatic and empty center and several floors of balcony room from which the guests could view the lively club. There was a spacious stage below that was silent for the moment and behind it two elaborate staircases spiraled up to the hotel rooms. A few ladies and patrons were seated on the steps. The employees and customers were milling about, battling their hangovers or enjoying their refreshments and solicitations; all in all it seemed a pleasant and safe place to be.

Then again, Azula also sensed that like her, an edge lurked below its surface. Like her, it could turn rough very quickly. Her suspicions were proven when an altercation sprung up at the table next to Azula.

Apparently one of the patrons had gotten too rough with one of the girls, and another man had come to her aid. This dissolved into a fistfight that ended abruptly with June's intervention. With stealth and efficiency the Madame grabbed the instigator from behind, then launched him across the slick mahogany bar. His round girth defied physics by zooming down the bar like a hellfire missile and mutilating several glasses in his way. When he reached the end he was unable to halt his momentum; he slammed into the floor. His shriek when June picked him up was 1 part apology, 1 part plea, and all parts terror. Soon the worthy Madame was booting him out the door.

Azula was quickly gaining respect for their boss with the whip. She was also beginning to feel more and more at home here.

"What would you like to eat?" Mila and Kila asked enthusiastically. They didn't usually play waitress, but were willing to do so for their strange guest.

Azula kind of liked her idiotic hostesses, which was saying something because idiots usually irritated the stuffing out of her. "Soup please, and some tonic water."

The twins frowned in unison. "You've got more cash than that honey."

"Yeah, that's my old pageant dress. You can just have it, we have to wear a new one every year for June's annual beauty pageant, so no charge. Just the room so far. So…why not some sea slugs, or roast duck, or maybe even some…"

Kila put a hand up to silence Mila.

Azula's face was turning green; her hand streaked toward her mouth, the other to her stomach.

"Oh, that's right you're hurling! Sorry!" Kila reached into the small pharmacy she kept in her blouse. She produced a little bottle and offered it to Azula.

Azula downed it and was shocked at the instantaneous relief that coursed through her. "What is this?" she pointed at the bottle suspiciously. "I wish I had had it five days ago!"

"Oh it's just a little something us party girls keep around. It's great for upset stomachs as you can tell. So, now that you feel better…how about that roast duck?"

Azula placed her hand over her stomach. Instead of pain and clenching and unyielding nausea she felt…hunger, deep and sincere hunger. It was the first she had felt in days. She was so overjoyed she could have cried. "Ok, I'll try the duck," she said.

Despite their extreme differences in lifestyle, upbringing, intelligence and careers, the twins and Azula were really hitting it off. They spent the afternoon having a leisurely lunch and discussing trite things. Mila and Kila told her stories of their rough but exciting life as entertainers, and Azula shared the challenges of living with a mental illness and being an animal breeder. Azula had even managed to get down some of her antipsychotics. Even though she knew it would take weeks for them to work at their peak again, the voices had dulled a little, and that in and of itself was a relief.

Her laundry had just been finished, and Azula and her escorts had just reached the housekeeping room to retrieve her clothes when loud screams broke out in the main room.

Mila and Kila dove behind two wash buckets, taking Azula with her. For the first time since meeting, Azula felt irritation with her hostesses.

"What's going on? Why are we hiding?!" She snaked out of Kila's hold and scrambled for the door, crouching next to it, her eyes peering around the corner in study. She may be insane but she was no coward.

"Get back here, they'll see you!"

"Who?!" Azula demanded.

The twins didn't answer, and she heard the crack of the whip, then screaming and the sound of rocks against wood. Footsteps and bodies slammed into the floors above.

Without a word Azula sprang up and left her quivering hostesses to their fear. She burst onto the main floor of the club, only to duck down as a whir or arrows rained down into the foyer. Everything was on fire: the stage, the long bar upon which the rioter had slid, the beautiful chandelier and lanterns. Fire Nation soldiers were everywhere, mishandling the patrons and the courtesans alike while adding to the inferno that licked at the structure and the furniture.

Azula saw June scamper Nyla to the center of the room, the beast sabering against the firebenders with predatory fury. The Shirshu was all teeth and strategy as she pushed the onslaught back against the stage, clearing the space before the front door. It seemed that the Madame's goal was to distract long enough for her patrons and employees to escape. Thus far it was working; throngs of frantic people were spilling through the main door.

A few of the more burly and loyal patrons remained behind to help June. These brawny men were engaged in stalemate hand to hand combat with the firebenders. A couple of them tossed the firebenders over the wide balconies above and under Nyla's waiting feet.

Azula wasn't sure what made her look at the staircase, but once she did she regretted it. _He_ was there again, waiting for her, beckoning her. She recognized the ancient headpiece and the beard, and the focused, homicidal look in his eyes. He raised one finger and curled it back: an invitation, a dare, a command.

Azula couldn't refuse. She was sick of this; she was going to put an end to it. It didn't matter that Sozin had been dead over a 100 years. It didn't matter that she was wolfbat crazy. She'd tried everything else; perhaps if she hallucinated about killing her hallucination then the hallucinations would ….Ah screw it. Long story short she had to kill him, even if he was already dead; she had to at least try.

She beeline for the flaming and unstable staircase, and of course he fled, his back vanishing and reappearing within the crimson destruction as she tailed him.

Despite her excellent speed and agility, Azula lost him several times as she darted up the flaming staircase, in pursuit of the specter who had tortured her so over the past week. Instead of him, she was met with firebender after firebender, who she neatly kicked off the stairs, sucker-punched, or flipped unceremoniously over the balcony. Soon more than twenty men had fallen to Azula, and then she saw him in the recess of the second floor, his back turned, his form facing the wall and straight, strangely catatonic.

Infuriated, she dove for him, held his neck and buckled his knees with a sweeping kick. Sozin let out a grunt as he was flipped to his back, but once his rotation was complete the red of his uniform morphed into a drab green, his royal headpiece disappeared, and Azula was left looking at the panting face of an eighteen year old thug, as frightened as he was immature. "Please don't' kill me lady!" he pleaded, his hands on his face.

Azula jumped off of him and looked around her. The fire was gone; so were the firebenders. She peered over the balcony. June and Nyla were still there and picking up what were apparently Azula's victims; they were dressed in green and blue, not red. While there were signs of a riot scattered about: broken glass, clods of dirt, and a few dozen arrows, there was no smoke or char marks, nothing that would suggest the club had ever suffered a fire.

June had just finished tying the last thug when she peered up at Azula. The Madame rewarded her with a faint smile and a thumbs-up. "You sure you don't want a job?" she shouted.

A loud, gregarious cheer erupted behind her and Azua turned to see more than fifty people lined up on the balcony. One of the more brawny and tattooed patrons broke a bottle over his skull and screamed at the top of his lungs: "WE LOVE YOU CRAZY FIREBENDER CHICK!"

Several more followed suit. The other courtesans shook bottles of champagne, popped the corks and spewed the liquid up into the air with celebration; the patrons lifted them up on their shoulders. Several of courtesans were dancing. The men screamed until they were beat red and then chest and head bumped each other until they were dizzy.

The psychotic princess froze, unsure how to react at the rough but joyous display, a display purely in celebration of her, and what she had apparently done. Then again, she wasn't sure of what she had really done. She was still trying to take in what she had just seen, separate reality from her reality, but she was having an awful lot of trouble processing _this. _This _reaction_ these people were having to her.

She had been cheered before as the Fire Nation Princess, worshipped even. Yet, there was something markedly different about all of those times and this one. Something was different indeed.

For the longest time she stood looking at them, open mouthed and studious. She just looked at the throngs of people, studying them, trying to figure them out. At last it clicked. There was_ joy_ there. On every one of their faces, they celebrated her, but they did so because they wanted to, not because they were obligated to. It was strange what a difference that made in people's praise.

Azula smiled awkwardly and waved at them. She wasn't sure how long she stood there, the hero of June's gentleman's club before June pushed her way through the crowd, slid an arm around Azula and said: "I don't think we can give this lady enough applause! Those washed Up Dai Li always coming round here, wanting me to pay them protection money. And what do I always say?"

The crowd chanted: "YOU SAY 'NO WAY' JUNE!"

"I say 'NO WAY!' Now, thanks to…"June trailed off and frowned at her. "What's your name, Honey?"

Azula swallowed awkardly. "Can I stick with 'Crazy Firebender Chick?'" she chanced.

"Works for me." June was used to secretive patrons. "Thanks to CRAZY FIREBENDER CHICK, we don't have to worry about them again!"

The bottle smashing, shameless kissing, and catcalls resumed. Azula waved again. She felt a flash of something in her chest. It was foreign. It was odd, but it also felt _happy. _Before she could even begin to analyze it Mila and Kila appeared and helped her through the crowd. "You should get out of here," she said. "All those guys…they think you're one of _us," _she giggled. _ "_One of them might try to_… you know_."

"Unless you want to," Kila added. "It _is_ good money."

Mila frowned at her sister. "Kila, _as if! _She's got a true love!"

Azula didn't say anything to discount Mila's assessment. In spite of her beliefs about herself, part of her wanted to believe it was possible.

# # # # # #

The twins did a quick touch up on Azula's appearance after her rowdy bar fight. They also added a veil and a traveling cape to her ensamble, then bid her adieu. Azula promised to visit them once she was done in Ba Sing Se. Despite her fondness for her two hostesses, she never revealed the identity of her true love. But that was no matter to the twins; they were used to serving patrons with their secrets.

The journey to the Earth Kingdom palace was an uneventful one. The four bison and their Lord landed as the sun was reaching its evening zenith. The palace staff welcomed Azula and her bison with very little questioning or fanfare. Everyone knew of the King's love for animals, especially exotic animals. Therefore, the unannounced appearance of an exotic animal breeder, as Azula introduced herself, was nothing special to the staff. They thought her clothing was a little inappropriate for her trade but she made up something about having "performed at a circus" hours earlier. They accepted it without question.

She appeared before the King's receptionist to make an appointment with Kuei, but he was rather terse with her, explaining that one "didn't just pop in on the Earth King."

Luckily General Fong had been walking by and interrupted the conversation before Azula's homicidal tendencies could rear their ugly head. He led her to a little holding area where she could wait safely while he announced her. Luckily for Azula the room was secluded and furnished with a comfortable green couch and silk curtains.

Unluckily there was a mirror there. She sat down, her back stubbornly to its silver surface. For the longest time she ignored the whispering she imagined from it. However, the voices increased in volume and desperation.

One seemed to stand out from the rest; it was also more cajoling, and sympathetic with hints of something extremely sinister lurking beneath its saccharine surface.

"You don't look so good," it kept saying over and over. The voice was strangely familiar; Azula swore she heard it before. It was female, but not mother's. Not Ty Lee's, most assuredly not Mai's and certainly not any of the Avatar's posse. She shut her eyes even more tightly and began to rock, dealing, once again with her hallucinations through study, extreme analysis.

Unfortunately it was her drive to be analyze that was her undoing. When she couldn't place the voice, no matter how much she studied its pitch, its fall, its volume, it drove her so insane that she HAD to look.

There, in the silver surface of the mirror was herself, three years younger in full Kyoshi Warrior dress. Her amber eyes were set and cold, her lips thin and even, the smallest of smiles on the surface of her red stained lips.

No wonder the voice had been so familiar.

"You don't look so good," the visage of her younger self repeated. "How about _I _talk to the Earth King _for you_?"

# # # #

Kuei sighed as the next appointment was brought before him. It involved a squabble over property lines between neighbors: a reputable rancher who provided a good slab of the economy and a dairy farmer who held fueled another good chunk of Ba Sing Se's peasant industry. There was a discord over expansion. After a lengthy and frustrating discussion, the two industry leaders left the room with the agreement to meet at a later date. Unfortunately, little came from their meeting with Kuei other than an awkward truce.

Kuei slagged with relief when his assistant confirmed that was the last audience for the day, but no more had he confirmed this than General Fong ran into the throne room and came up behind the King. He hurriedly whispered in Kuei's ear. "There is someone else to see you, my Liege."

Kuei rubbed his temples and buried his forehead in his hands. "No, General, I'm done for the day," he groaned, obviously exhausted.

"This one, I _highly advise_ you see, Your Majesty. She is an exotic animal breeder." General Fong looked at the King, and Kuei caught the meaning in his eyes.

Kuei's heart jumped, and so did he. His exhaustion was suddenly forgotten. "Leave us," he told his court. The court obeyed and once the room was clear Kuei looked at Genera Fong. "Is it who I think it is?" he whispered.

The General nodded, a smile on his face. "Just be warned Your Majesty she looks a little _different_. She may be ill…."

"I will keep this in mind General. Leave us also, and send her in on your way out."

The General bowed, beaming with happiness for his old friend. As he exited the anticipated guest entered.

Kuei heard the click of heels against the marble floor long before he saw her. And when he did, she was all mystery and exotic, uninhibited beauty.

She was dressed in Water Tribe blue. A long blue cape swept the back of her. Large blue ostrich horse plumes bounced amidst her sleek dark her hair, which was elaborately braided in the front and long and sweeping in the back. A midnight veil camouflaged her eyes, and below the veil the reddest lips shimmered. It was a shade of lipstick Kuei had not seen her in before. Her blue crush velvet dress dusted the floor as she approached the King.

She stopped short of the steps leading up to the throne and adjusted her dress so she could bow.

Her knees never hit the floor.

Kuei ismounted his throne and pulled her forcefully into his arms. His hands dug below the feathers to find the back of her head, angling her mouth to him, and his kiss. With his other he inched up the veil, peeling it away from her face so he could smother her more thoroughly.

She had never been kissed this passionately before. He was literally all over her, smudging her eye makeup, biting at her neck, tasting her cheeks and the dip below her ears. His hands found the slit in her gown and took advantage of it to caress her leg. His other hand played at the small of her back, pressing her even more thoroughly into him.

The way he pulled her into him and devoured her was exhilarating, unfamiliar, and thrilling, but extraordinarily comforting. She found herself returning his actions, and as she threw her arms around him to return his affection, she searched her mind for something she could compare it to, label it with.

They stumbled back into his throne. He landed haphazardly on the elaborate chair, she side-saddle on his lap. When she fell into him, she realized at last what being in his arms was like, she at last had a label for it. Being in his arms was like _coming home_.

She was Fire Nation; her ethnicity would never change. Neither would her upbringing or her natural propensity for psychiatric illness or evil. She would also never be able to undo the horrible things she had done. In spite of all that,_ this_ was where she felt welcome. _This_ was where she belonged. In the arms of a King she had once overthrown, in a kingdom she had once tormented with clever and subversive assault.

"Are you trying to trick me again, Azula?" It seemed that the King was remembering the same thing. He whispered the question near her ear before pressing his lips to her neck once more. "You don't expect me to believe that you are Water Tribe, do you?"

"No Majesty," she choked out, melting completely under his touch. Her voice was just above a whisper; it seemed his pleasurable assault on her senses had weakened her, caught her completely off guard. Kuei was pleased and thrilled with the knowledge.

His kisses descended lower and lower until he was at her collar bone. He lavished it with slow and adoring affection for some time before he peeled the shoulder of the crush velvet gown away, widening the already generous V neckline of her dress. She felt his breath on her shoulder, and then felt him stop there suddenly.

He didn't say a word, but she sensed the instantaneous change in his mood and demeanor. His eyes focused in on her clavicle, then the acromion crowning her shoulder. His eyes were liquid and just a little bit alarmed when they met hers. "Azula, you're very thin."

Azula looked down. With the exception of the hours at June's, she hadn't paid much attention to her appearance over the past week, and she had been avoiding mirrors like the plague. She immediately understood what the King was referring to when she looked at herself; she too was shocked at how tightly her skin was hugging her bones.

She looked at Kuei, speechless.

He gently framed her hips and assisted her off of his lap. He stood himself, but kept his arms at her sides. "Azula," he said. "What is going on? Why are you so thin? And why are you dressed so very…." Kuei coughed uncomfortably, trying to find the words, but he couldn't. The most he'd ever seen of Azula was when she was wearing the scanty sleeping shorts at the Fire Nation Palace. Even though she was thin, she was still a knockout, especially in a dress like _this_. This dress had been made to celebrate and reveal the female form in all its glory; it left very little to the imagination.

Kuei couldn't decide whether to be turned on or alarmed. On one hand, what she was wearing was very appealing, and on the other hand it was very out of character for Azula. Something was up.

At last, he stamped down the blatantly male side of himself, forcing gentleman Kuei to take the forefront.

When Azula didn't answer, and looked somewhat frightened by the prospect of explaining herself, he didn't press her.

Instead bent down and wrapped the cape back around her shoulders. "Dearest, I was about to eat. Come with me, all right? We'll take dinner in the courtyard."

**A/N**

**When you think of June's club, try to envision an Old Western Saloon that a Chinese Opera threw up on. That's really the best way I can describe it. What happens atJune's is pretty old west mixed with some mafia influence. **

**The scene where Azula is waiting to see Kuei in the holding area is inspired by the movie BLACK SWAN. Please don't see that movie unless you are 18 plus (there's some really non-minor friendly stuff in there) but it deals with duality (good vs evil) within a person and also is a pretty darned good portrayal of paranoid schizophrenia. **

**The scene where Azula meets Kuei in his throne room was inspired by Scarlett O'Hara's famous red dress scene in the movie Gone With The Wind. In this scene Scarlett is inappropriately dressed for the social affair she's attending, but still very stunning. That's the idea behind Azula and that's why I did that to her. She's awkward, she doesn't belong. She is a creature that will struggle to find her place, despite what few good intentions do lurk within her. The reason she's dressed in something she would never wear on the show is that I wanted to do something really different that could still be in keeping with her awkward character, and with the theme of a very difficult redemption. **

**The idea behind Kuei, the way I see him, is that he will forgive and love her in spite of it, and maybe a little because of it. So Azula gets a man who's more supportive than Rhett was for Scarlett.**

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	13. Chapter 13

**Sorry about the long wait. The job is good but time consuming, and the children are time consuming. Anyway, thanks for waiting.**

**Just read the search part 2. My favorite was when they were talking to the older hermit water tribe siblings about taking care of each other. Well, that's exactly what Zuko has been doing for Azula the past few years. He's been the medical power of attorney and thus orchestrating her care, (with paid and bison help) for someone with schizophrenia. That is no easy task. At least in this story, that's the case. Not sure how the Search is going to turn out. We may be going off cannon here, not like I think this story is going to end up being anywhere close to cannon (eye roll).**

**This chapter just has some more wacky romance and some other schizophrenia related things. More psychobabble in the next chapter, but I promise it will have meaning. **

"I knew she was off her meds!" Aang exclaimed after reading the letter that Jezobel had tied to her horn.

Jezobel snorted at the Avatar before rushing over to nuzzle Appa in the landing yard outside the palace.

Zuko arrived a moment behind Aang and snagged the letter from him. A cursory glance revealed all he needed to know. "I am presently ill…. going to the Earth Kingdom…." He looked up at Aang, his eyes wide. "You don't really think she's off her meds, you do Aang?! I mean the last time this happened…. " Zuko trailed off and slammed his face against his palm. He rested it there. "I can't relive the last time this happened…" His voice was muffled against his hand.

THE LAST TIME Azula came off of her antipsychotics, the dragons carved into the mahogany palace walls apparently laughed at her, snaked out of the wood, and then tried to strangle her. So Azula did what any good psychotic firebender do and reduced them to ash, along with 50% of the west wing.

Aang scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Jezobel seems to think so, and at the Temple she did seem a little more off than usual. She was more confused about her boyfriend than anything." Aang smiled suddenly, a big goofy smile, and he pointed an accusatory finger at Zuko. "You never told me she had a boyfriend, Zuko!"

"That's because I'm having trouble believing it myself!" the Firelord defended.

"So who is he?"

Zuko froze. He was glad his face was turned from Aang. He searched the creative side of his brain for an idea, but when none came, he turned to his friend.

The Airbender was smiling expectantly at Zuko. He was waiting for an answer.

The Firelord swallowed around the lump in his throat, forcing words through it. "It doesn't matter who he is. If she's off her meds again, she could kill him."

# # # # #

Kuei was overjoyed to see Azula. He had thought of this moment for quite some time now, repeated it in his mind over and over.

It was beautiful and poetic, just as it had been in his dreams. Despite how happy he was to see her Kuei couldn't help but feel that something was off about it. Kuei never expected her to openly admit her feelings; he doubted she could even interpret them for herself given her delicate state of mind, but he saw what she felt for him in her eyes…if he looked REALLY, REALLY hard that is.

And today she looked at him the way she always did, with the fine strands of love hidden in their depths, but her eyes kept darting this way and that, as though reacting to an outside stimulus.

Over the past few months, Kuei had spent some time reading up on schizophrenia. Dr. Ping had been kind enough to lend him some of his professional references. Kuei found it fascinating. Surprisingly, his newfound knowledge about Azula's difficult disease did little to deter him. On the contrary, it made him all the more drawn to her. It also helped to explain her nastiness, or it at least helped him concoct more excuses for her nastiness.

It also inspired him to look at her a little more studiously, pull her into him a little more closely as they walked. He loved her, but this was no ordinary woman. She required extra care and he was eager to provide it. His arm was fully around her, and his other held her by the hand, and he was watching every move and expression she made.

Azula didn't fight him, though he saw the color rise in her cheeks at his touch. When they passed a hallway full of mirrors she stiffened noticeably and he heard her breath draw inside of her.

He sped up a little to get past the mirrors and led her to a stately garden still abloom with dogwood trees and a wide, stately wooden porch with a comfortable patio set.

Dominatia, Rampage and Bosco were waiting for them inside of the courtyard. He took up a place behind a chair and saw her go for the one across him.

Dominatia was slurping a pan full of sake, despite earlier promises to Azula that she'd cut out the booze completely (they couldn't be sure yet if she were pregnant or not) and the other bison were happily chewing their hey. "You'll go easy on that, Dominatia!" Azula warned. "In fact, tonight is the last night you drink. You could be pregnant, remember!"

The bison let her tongue loll out momentarily, then flipped onto her back when half of the sake was gone; Rampage and Bosco shared the rest. Well, Azula figured, at least she's cutting back.

"Oh I meant to congratulate you, Dearest, on breeding the bison!" Kuei pulled out the chair beside him and she obediently sat down in the chair at his request. "It will be wonderful to have little fluff balls flying around again!"

"Yes, I'll teach them all to fetch my slippers and assassinate slimy politicians. It will really be quite something," Azula commented with nonchalance.

The King laughed. "Dearest, I've missed you so much! You and your sadistic sense of humor! No one else in the world has i!." He grabbed her hand and passionately kissed the back of it, leaving Azula stunned that it was possible for so much slobber to gather there. "I missed you so much that I had my garden renovated," He gestured to the dozens of dogwood trees blooming pink and white in his courtyard. "They're not cherry blossoms. We don't have the climate for them here, but the dogwoods are lovely, don't' you think?" He gestured to the lush garden just outside the potico where they were seated.

Azula didn't say anything, but she smiled at him. It was just a little one. Her right hand darted instinctively to her neck. It had become a nervous habit for her, checking her neck to make sure that the precious bauble was there. The action also helped to ground her, remove her from the hallucinations that kept popping up while she was in Kuei's company.

As it was, Sozin and the Kyoshi version of herself had mocked her from the mirrored hall. And the waitress in the corner, with her green frock, simple servant's headdress, and ruby red lips, was too similar to this version of herself. She was fearful that the woman's image would shift at any moment and she would be forced to ignore it. She wasn't sure she was capable of such a thing at this point. She was too rattled from her week of inner turmoil. Azula pried her eyes away from her, and looked back at the King as she fingered his gift.

"This…," Azula cleared her throat and pointed at her necklace…"What does this mean exactly?"

"It was a gift, Azula. A token of my affection for you."

The princess' eyes fell. The King thought she looked disappointed. "Everyone seems to think it means….something else."

"What do you want it to mean?" Kuei challenged. He was no stranger to Water Tribe engagement customs and knew what she was getting at, but didn't want to pressure her one way or the other.

Azula frowned at him. "What do you want it to mean?!" she snarled.

Kuei laughed and took her hand in his. He kissed it again with equal passion. "You are so beautiful when you're angry!"

"You should see me when I'm homicidal."

"Yes!" Kuei purred enthusiastically. "Then I'll bet you're absolutely stunning!" He kissed her hand again.

Azula couldn't help but blush. It was an odd feeling because she rarely if ever did. She kept her eyes on him as the servants set the feast down before them. She hoped the sight of him would distract her from the manifestations of her disease that popped up in her peripheral vision.

The Bison Lord was glad when Kuei ordered his servants to leave them and they were left alone with the four bison and Bosco in the courtyard.

Her attention did not go unnoticed by Kuei. He mistook her staring for pure love and pulled her into his lap. "As beautiful as you are, Dearest, you are very thin, and I think I know the reason. I wasn't around to help feed you."

Azula had heard about the King's rumored eccentrics, but thought those were just rumors. She wasn't counting on him to physically raise the slice of mango to her lips and actually feed her. Some of her wanted to scoff, but before she could she saw him again, and he made a slicing gesture across his throat just before ducking behind the dogwoods.

A moment later Sozin was gone, and the mango had made it past her lips. Her eyes darted back to the king who was love-struck and grinning idiotically again.

Azula swallowed awkwardly at him and did her best to return his grin. Oh well, she thought, the mango is exceptionally good. It also did wonders for one's ego to have a king waiting on you, no matter how odd, or gushingly romantic it was. Her grin broadened. "It's not that," Azula disagreed once the mango slid down her throat. "I recently started a weight loss program."

"Weight loss program?" The last thing on Earth that Kuei thought she needed.

"Of course, but not for me. It was for Dominatia. She wanted to look good for mating season and she needed someone to do it with her, so I said…"

"You're a terrible liar, Azula," the Earth King cut her off, though he wasn't the least bit angry with her fib. To prove it he smacked her playfully on her thigh.

Dominatia grumbled in agreement.

The princess pouted back at him, her mouth gaping with indignation though she made no effort to leave his arms. She pointed her finger at his nose. "l'll have you know I am a fantastic liar!"

"_Were, were_ a fantastic liar. You're not anymore. What's going on? You can tell me."

Azula looked down. "I… I've been a little bit sick."

Dominatia growled adamantly behind her.

"Ok, A lot," Azula corrected as she shot a frown at her bison. "A LOT sick!" Azula corrected. "There, are you happy you detail obsessed ball of fur?!"

Dominatia snorted that she was and then stretched out languorously, unconcerned with her mistress' temper.

Kuei looked at Azula through his glasses. Something was very wrong with her. True, she was thin, and she was pale, but that was nothing a good few meals and some TLC wouldn't fix. There was something else about her, a wildness in her eyes, a nervousness that Kuei couldn't quite pinpoint. Her voice was off, so was her laugh. His Azula was normally calm, calculating, funny, and confident. Today, she was still funny, but her demeanor was significantly less confident and calculating. Kuei could tell she was trying her best to put up a front, she was doing a very poor job of it. He tried to be as gentle as possible with his next words. "What kind of sick, Azula?"

The Princess froze and looked back at him. The wildness deepened; in fact it seemed to be spreading. Her tiny body had taken on a tremor. She looked back at him for several moments; at times it seemed she was looking through him as she fidgeted with her hands.

The reason for her unrest had just come in to pour tea; unfortunately to Azula she wasn't holding a tea pot but a gleaming metal fan in one hand and a Katana in the other. Her fourteen year old face smiled sadistically at her as she approached the two of them.

Azula buried her face in Kuei's neck and shut her eyes tightly. It wasn't real. It couldn't be, not after what had happened at June's.

Kuei's eyes softened. His arms tightened around her, and he tilted her chin so he could look her in the eyes. "What kind of sick?" he repeated.

Despite his efforts to get her to focus on him, she buried her face in his neck again. She couldn't face him. She was usually open with people about her illness, but for some reason she didn't want to admit to Kuei how out of control it was. For some reason she felt…shame. When Azula spoke at last, it was just above a whisper: "The kind that makes you doubt everything you've ever seen and everything you've ever felt. The kind that makes me believe it can kill me, and even worse it can kill _you_."


End file.
